


Grime and Gold

by KristannaFever



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Christmas AU, Christmas Time, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Kristanna, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:15:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 25,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21746620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KristannaFever/pseuds/KristannaFever
Summary: Kristoff is a garbage man with a heart of Gold.  Anna is a single mother who just moved to the neighborhood where Kristoff works.  Her son is fascinated with garbage trucks and wastes no time to introduce himself to the friendly garbage man and his buddy who drives the truck
Relationships: Anna & Kristoff (Disney), Anna/Kristoff (Disney)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 180





	1. Chapter 1

Kristoff grabbed the trash can and tipped it as he heaved it over the edge of the truck, spilling the garbage bags inside. He was daydreaming, as he had a tendency to do when he was working. Mostly it was looking forward to going for a beer with Sven after work, but he also thought about all the fishing he was going to do over the weekend.

He was so caught up with the image of himself holding up a beautiful river trout, that the quick movement he detected out of the corner of his eye startled him.

Kristoff whipped to the side, sure someone’s dog had gotten loose and was charging him, only to be surprised again to see it was a small boy with copper hair and wide blue eyes.

“Hi Mr. Garbage Man!” the kid shouted with a huge grin.

“Well hello,” Kristoff greeted the kid with his own smile, wondering in the back of his mind if this little guy was actually going to hug him and his filthy coveralls, he was running up so fast. But he did not. The kid stopped two feet from Kristoff and looked up at him.

“I’m Arthur! We just moved here yesterday. What’s your name?”

“Kristoff,” he answered, amused with the boy’s directness. Surely, he had been told not to talk to strangers?

“Who’s your driver?”

Kristoff looked up towards the cab of the truck, catching Sven’s eyes in the large side mirror. He was wearing a smart-ass grin like usual.

“That’s Sven,” Kristoff replied.

The boy turned his attention to the front of the truck where Sven was now leaning his head out the open window. “Hi Sven!” he shouted.

“Hi little dude!” Sven shouted back.

“I’m Arthur!” the boy yelled back.

Before Sven could say anything more the boys name echoed back in a woman’s voice from the direction of the house. Kristoff shifted his gaze to the walkway where a petite woman was hurrying to her son.

His breath hitched as his eyes opened wider.

“Arthur, I told you that you had to wait for me. It’s dangerous to run up to the street with all the traffic.”

The kid barely looked back at his approaching mother. “Sorry,” he said more to Kristoff than his Mom. When the woman stepped behind the child and placed a palm on his shoulder he said, “This is Kristoff! And the driver is Sven!”

The woman looked up into Kristoff’s eyes with a kind smile before turning her attention to the other man. Sven gave a wave which she politely returned before she turned her focus back to Kristoff.

“Hi Kristoff. I’m sure Arthur here has already introduced himself.”

Kristoff nodded, feeling an awkward smile, at a complete loss of what to say. 

“He just loves Garbage trucks,” she shrugged as if to say _kids will be kids_. 

Kristoff swallowed hard and cleared his throat gently. “That’s… awesome.”

“Do you pick up the garbage on Friday afternoons every week?” Arthur asked, excitement all over his little freckled face.

“That’s our route, yes,” Kristoff answered, struggling to look down at the boy and not his gorgeous mother.

“Awesome!” Arthur shouted, fist pumping the air.

The woman laughed and Kristoff’s heart lurched in his chest. 

“He gets off from school early every Friday so I am sure he’ll be out here every week to talk to you,” she smiled at him.

Kristoff struggled to find a response. Instead he smiled broadly at her and said, “That’s great.”

“Come on now Arthur. Let’s let these guys get back to work,” she said, gently turning her son towards the house by his shoulders. 

Arthur looked back over his shoulder and waved at both men. “Bye Kristoff! Bye Sven!”

“Bye little dude,” Sven shouted from the cab of the truck while all Kristoff seemed to be able to do was wave back as he watched mother and son go up the walk to their house.

*****

“Daydreaming about fishing again?”

“Huh?” Kristoff pulled his eyes from his pint and looked at his friend.

“You’re off in your own little world again, man.”

“Sorry,” Kristoff shrugged. He had been daydreaming, but it hadn’t been about fishing.

“So besides hitting the river, what do you have planned this weekend?”

“Nothin,” Kristoff answered.

“Okay tomorrow night then, you and me go to a club.”

Kristoff sneered at Sven. “Not my scene, dude.”

Sven laughed heartily. “I know, but that’s where the ladies go and you desperately need to find yourself a lady.”

“This again?” Kristoff rolled his eyes.

“Yes, this again. Nancy wants another couple to go on double dates with.”

“I’m sure you guys have other _couple_ friends.”

“We do. Two going through a nasty divorce, one has a newborn and between the rest of them working around their kid’s sports schedules or trying to find reliable babysitters, we haven’t gone out with anyone in a long time.”

“Not my problem,” Kristoff muttered taking a long pull at his beer. He shouldn’t have to tell Sven that there was no way anything could last with a woman he met in a club. He’d tried if before in fact. Those quick relationships always crashed and burned. 

“How about that little dudes Mom today, huh? She was pretty.”

Kristoff said nothing. He just looked down into his beer.

“I wonder what her deal is. Did you notice if she was wearing a wedding ring?”

Kristoff brought his eyes up in thought. Did she have a ring? It hadn’t even crossed his mind to look. Now thinking back, he was drawing a complete blank on everything but her facial features.

“I… don’t know,” he answered his friend slowly.

Sven just shrugged. “Well look next time. Maybe the quality lady you are looking for just happens to live on your work route.”


	2. Chapter 2

Kristoff did not let Sven drag him to a club. Instead he had a quiet meal at home, one that he had caught himself. His permit dictated he could keep three fish, but his first was more than enough to feed him. After that he had kept fishing just for the hell of it, releasing anything else he caught back into the river.

_Teach a man to fish_ he laughed to himself as he pan-fried his fresh catch of the day.

He took his meal into the living room with a beer and settled in front of the television, relishing in being in his own private space and not some ludicrously loud club getting hit on by throngs of women. 

He was at peace when he was alone. He was happy.

Wasn’t he?

Actually, there were times when he would see something funny on television and there was no one to laugh with him, or a bad call in a game he wanted to bitch with someone about. There were times when he had a bad day and just wanted someone he could vent to. There were times when his house seemed a little too quiet at night.

And then there were times where all the distractions in the world didn’t seem to be enough to quell the lonely feelings within him. 

Holidays were the worst. He spent them with his large adoptive family and it was full of love but also utter chaos. Then when he was out of it, alone at night, he wished there was someone in the bed with him that he could hold onto.

All of his siblings were married or attached. Kristoff could not understand why it wasn’t the same for him. Why was he unable to make that connection with someone? He knew he didn’t have high standards. Perhaps it was because he’d always ended up with women whose standards were too high for him. Every relationship he had ever been in he didn’t feel like he could be his true self, so it was no wonder they were destined to fail.

Why couldn’t he find someone who understood him?

He scoffed to himself in the dark. Story of his life. 

*****

“So how old are you Arthur?” Kristoff asked as he heaved another trash can over the back of the truck.

“Seven,” he said proudly, “But I turn eight in three months.”

The boy had been walking along the sidewalk as Kristoff worked. He had run all the way down the block to meet the truck at the end of the street. After waving and shouting hello, he had fallen alongside the truck as it went up the street, chatting Kristoff’s ear off. In the distance Kristoff could see his mother standing on the front porch watching her son.

Kristoff wondered if he would get a chance to talk to her again.

“Three months, huh?” he said, trying to remain focusing on talking to the boy and doing his job. “When is your birthday then?”

“December twenty-fourth,” he replied and then didn’t skip a beat to elaborate. “You know what sucks the most about having a birthday right at Christmas? Everyone gives you a gift for both. Like, other kids get their birthday presents, then they get all these Christmas presents, but I just get one for both. I wish I could have a normal birthday party, but everyone is so busy at holidays. We tried to have one once between Christmas and New Years, but still almost everyone couldn’t come. Two of my friends came and they told me they just gave me gifts they got for Christmas that they didn’t want. And when I told my mom after that’s what they said, she said she was sure their parents would not have liked it that they told me that. Mom also says I should still be grateful. I am, but it just kind of sucks, you know?”

Kristoff was a little surprised to find himself smiling. “Your Mom is right, but I agree with you. It would suck.”

“When is your birthday, Kristoff?”

He was caught off guard by the question. No one had asked him that in a very long time. 

“Um, November eighth,” he answered after a moment.

“We have close birthdays! How old are you going to be?”

If it had been a long time since anyone had asked when his birthday was, it had been an even longer time since someone asked him how old he was. 

“Thirty-three.”

“I’m getting good at math! That means you were born in…”

Arthur stopped on the sidewalk and turned his eyes up to the sky in thought. Kristoff slowed his pace, making sure he wasn’t going get too far ahead of the boy. He waited, but it seemed like Arthur was having trouble coming up with the answer.

“Its easier to do on paper,” he said as if he had read Kristoff’s mind. “But my Mom is almost your age so I guess…. 1986?”

“Bang on!” he smiled at the boy.

“Oh good,” Arthur beamed and jogged to catch up with Kristoff. “My Mom was born in 1988 and she is thirty-one so all I had to do was subtract thirty-three from thirty-one and that equals two so I knew I had to subtract two years from the year she was born.”

“You are very smart, Arthur,” Kristoff answered truthfully, keeping an eye on the boy’s mother as they neared her house.

“Uh, huh. I can skip count too. Give me a number and I will skip count it.”

“What is skip counting?” It had been a long time since Kristoff had been in elementary school and he honestly had no idea what the boy was talking about.

“Skip counting. Like counting by tens. Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty… see? But that’s the easiest one. Give me another number and I will skip count it and show you!”

“Okay, five.” Kristoff had to look over at Arthur’s silence, amused with the look he was being given. “Too easy?”

“Well… yeah. Come on give me a harder one.”

“Okay then. How about six?”

“Six, twelve… eighteen, um…”

Kristoff looked over to see Arthur counting on his fingers. He wasn’t sure why but it made him smile.

“Well, okay,” Arthur said after a moment. “We haven’t worked on six yet, but I can skip count by two, three and four no problem!”

Arthur demonstrated his said knowledge of skip counting and Kristoff listened as he emptied bin after bin into the truck while trying to keep his heartbeat from elevating as he approached Arthur’s house. The boy was adorable and it was clear upon meeting his mother that it was no secret where he got his looks from. His mom, _god he wished he knew her name,_ had a pair of the biggest, bluest eyes he’d ever seen. 

At the house next to hers, Arthur still saying numbers at him, Kristoff watched as the woman stood up from the patio chair on the porch and grabbed something beside her. Kristoff turned his focus back to his work, not wanting to openly stare at her as she came down the walk, completely unable to help the way his heart was now starting to beat faster in his chest.

“Hello Kristoff, Hello Sven!” she said as she approached.

Kristoff looked up to smile at her, caught off guard again by the way those eyes looked right into his. He was suddenly unable to look away and he knew it would give something away in how he viewed her if he kept staring at her. But her eyes left his, shifting to look at Sven in the cab of the truck as he was sure his friend was leaning almost all the way out of the window. 

“Hi Arthur’s Mom!” Sven shouted.

She chuckled in that delightful way again. “Call me Anna!” she shouted back.

_Anna._

An entire week of wondering that name and his friend had just effortlessly pulled off what he knew he would not have been able to accomplish on his own. He had to hand it to Sven, the guy had a natural ease with people. Good thing Kristoff was friends with someone who could help him with a quality that he did not possess himself.

Kristoff grabbed the trash can in front of their house and dumped it in the truck. When he set it back on the curb, he noticed that Anna was holding out a bottle of water for him. 

“It’s been a warm start to fall this year and Arthur thought you guys would appreciate a refreshment.”

Kristoff pulled off his filthy work gloves and grabbed the bottle, ignoring the hammering in his chest. “Thank you,” he managed looking her back in her eyes before her gaze became too intense and he averted his eyes, noticing that Arthur had grabbed the bottle of water in Anna’s other hand and taken off towards the cab of the truck to hand it to Sven.

Sven, of course, engaged the boy in conversation, so Anna did the same with him.

“Have you been working this street a long time Kristoff?”

Kristoff was suddenly embarrassed. The truth was that he _had_ been working the route for a long time. Since he was a senior in high school, in fact. And what would Anna think of that? A guy who was so apathetic about what he did for a living that he just dealt with everyone’s trash with no ambitions to do anything else with his life for sixteen years? He had certainly seen it on people’s faces before when he told them what he did for a living. Actually, now that he thought about it, there wasn’t a single time he had ever been on a date with a woman and she had not expressed disappointment or straight up disgust upon hearing what earned him his paychecks.

All he could really do was mumble, “Been a while, for sure.”

“Well I want to thank you, and Sven of course, but mostly you because I see how happy Arthur is talking to you and it’s so kind of you to give him the time of day. There have been times where the garbage men haven’t been so friendly, which is unfortunate of course, but what can you do. No one would really want some kid bothering them while they work, right? And you and Sven are just the best for entertaining him and talking to him all the time…”

Kristoff immediately understood why Arthur was so talkative. He imagined what it would be like in his house, talking back and forth with his mother, regaling each other with stories of their day and both raptly paying attention. 

Kristoff found himself smiling again.

“… Anyway, you guys are just the best for being so kind to him,” Anna finished, her left hand coming up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Kristoff just so happened to watch the movement at the same time that he noticed that she was, in fact, not wearing any sort of ring. But she gave him no time to think about before she was talking again.

“Come on Arthur,” she called to the front of the truck. “Let’s let Kristoff and Sven finish their day so they can relax for the weekend.” She turned to Kristoff and gave him a little wink.

Kristoff’s knees nearly unhinged. 

“Have a good weekend, guys!” Arthur shouted, walking backwards as his mother led the way up their walk. 

“You too little dude!” Sven shouted. 

“And thank you so much for the water,” Kristoff added, trying to make his voice heard from the street, appalled that it sounded rather weak and pathetic. 

Still, both mother and son turned and waved at him and then Sven with beautiful smiles.

As Kristoff and Sven resumed working, Kristoff could think of little else but Anna’s wonderful smile.


	3. Chapter 3

For the next six weeks it was the same thing. Arthur would run down the block as soon as he saw the garbage truck turn the corner and Kristoff would walk with him and talk while he dumped the cans into the back, good old Sven driving a little slower than normal.

And it was great. Kristoff began to look forward to their last street of the day. He asked Arthur all sorts of questions about the boy’s week and he truly enjoyed hearing all the answers. The entire six weeks, however, Anna remained on the bench seat on the porch to watch, leaving her son to hand out water and little goodies like granola bars and bags of goldfish crackers – Arthur’s choice, Kristoff was sure – as they approached his house, but Kristoff could honestly not find himself upset about it, even if he did desperately want to talk to her again.

He had done a lot of soul searching lately and had come to realize a great many things about himself. Most of them were that he was actually worthy of love, despite how anyone else made him feel. He was a garbage man, so what? It said nothing about the type of person he was. It didn’t mean that he was filthy like the job he had.

But he still often wondered what Anna thought?

Kristoff paused, thinking he felt a nibble. He waited, concentrating on the line and the feel of the rod in his hands, but felt no other movement. Probably just that, a nibble, or perhaps passing debris in the river. He sighed and turned his mind back to the lovely woman who seemed to consume his thoughts lately.

Anna always had a wave and a smile for him from the porch. She always looked so overjoyed that her son was enjoying himself talking to him and Sven. She wasn’t married, but Kristoff honestly had no idea if she was attached or not. Someone like her was probably taken. Still, he liked to daydream that she wasn’t and that he could have the opportunity to ask her on a date sometime. 

Christmas was fast approaching and Kristoff had an idea in his head to surprise Arthur with a bit of a gift for his birthday and a separate one for Christmas. Nothing big or expensive, just something small the boy could enjoy. Maybe he could find a toy garbage truck and get a Spiderman action figure. Arthur had talked to Kristoff a lot about movies and Kristoff knew he was a huge Marvel fan, of Spiderman in particular. Kristoff imagined wrapping them separately, one in colorful birthday paper and one in Christmas paper. He actually smiled thinking about it until his fishing rod jerked suddenly.

He’d been so caught up in his mind that the rod almost flew out of his hands and splashed into the river, but he was able to grip it at the last moment and reset his hands to reel in his catch. It was a beautiful Rainbow trout and Kristoff held it up and admired it a moment before he released it. In the back of his mind he sort-of wished he could keep it, but the fishing season was over now and it was strictly catch and release. It didn’t bother him in the least because he loved fishing for what it was, but that one had been a beautiful fish and there was a part of him that would love to have cooked it.

There was also something in his mind that whispered other things. Things he probably shouldn’t be thinking too hard about given his current situation. Still, the daydreams came… taking Arthur down to the riverbank and teaching him how to fish… seeing his excitement as he got his first bite… that proud moment when he reeled in his first catch… teaching him how to gut the fish even though it was probably super gross to a kid, or maybe not since this particular kid was fascinated by garbage trucks.

The dream didn’t stop there. He imagined taking their catch home and Anna’s breathtaking smile as she welcomed them home, the way Arthur would tell his mom all about their day, the way she would listen intently and look up at Kristoff every so often with a softness in her eyes that he knew was meant just for him…

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he muttered, shaking his mind back to the here and now. It was official, he had been spending way too much time on his own to imagine things with such clarity and so much heartfelt emotion.

*****

Arthur wasn’t there to greet them the next week.

Kristoff had waited patiently as he approached his house, thinking that the boy was keeping warm inside on the chilly day and would run down the walk as soon as the truck pulled up in front, but after Kristoff emptied the bin with no signs of life from the house, he had to wonder.

It wasn’t until they were three houses past Arthur’s and almost at the end of the block, that Kristoff started to worry.

Sven wanted to go for a beer after work, but as they finished their route Kristoff knew he was going to have to leave his friend hanging. There was something gnawing at his insides thinking about the fact that Arthur wasn’t there to greet them. Something that he knew would bother him constantly unless he found out what was wrong.

The thing was though, what would Anna think with him showing up at her door asking her if her son was okay. If she was even home? If she wasn’t then he’d just have to worry about it all week he supposed. But if she was… how the hell was he going to explain his motivation for paying her a very unexpected visit at night.

No, there was no way he could creep her out that way.

After taking a shower and changing into clean clothing in the employee locker room, Kristoff waited for Sven, still trying to figure out what he should do. All it took was one look from his best friend and his decision was suddenly made.

“Worried about the little guy, aren’t you?”

Kristoff could only nod.

“Don’t worry about beers. Go see if Arthur is okay.”

Kristoff gave his friend a grateful nod and headed out to his pickup in the parking lot. He had no idea what he was going to say, to explain, but the look on Sven’s face telling him he was concerned too, was enough to propel him forward without much more thought on the matter.

*****

Kristoff swallowed his nerves as he knocked gently on the front door of the darkened porch. He had no idea if anyone was home. There was a very dim light against the blinds from one side of the bottom floor, but no other lights on in the house. Certainly not definitive either way.

He waited, nervous, and if he had to admit to himself, a little frightened. He contemplated knocking again when he thought he heard someone on the other side of the door. Instinctively, he turned his head slightly towards the sound and ended up being startled when the door cracked open. He took a very awkward step backward.

“Kristoff?” came Anna’s hesitant voice from inside the dim house.

He panicked suddenly, knowing what a huge mistake this was. She must think he was some kind of a psycho to knock on her door when he had absolutely no reason to be there in the dark. He was about to turn and run when the door opened wider and Anna stepped up to the threshold. 

“What are you doing here?”

Her tone was not accusatory but it was still cautious. Kristoff knew he was going to have to untangle his damn tongue immediately.

“I, uh, am sorry to bother you. I just… well Sven and I noticed Arthur wasn’t on the street today and we… well, um, I actually, was a little worried and I just wanted to see if he was okay?”

He was pathetic. He sounded pathetic. He was some weird ass creep standing on her door at the dinner hour asking about her son and he was sure at any moment she was going to recoil in horror and tell him that she was going to call the co-

Anna gave him a gentle smile and her hand came up to her chest, placing it over her heart. 

“Kristoff, that is just so… sweet.”

Kristoff hadn’t realised how tense he had been until that moment because it seemed as though every single muscle in his body suddenly relaxed. 

“He is fine, just sick with a terrible stomach bug,” Anna continued. “He’s been throwing up all day the poor little thing.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Kristoff offered. “Stomach flus are the worst.”

“They certainly are,” Anna replied and gave him a tired smile. She looked exhausted. Kristoff hoped that she wasn’t going to catch what her so-

“And the worst part is I think I am going to get whatever he caught because I don’t feel very good this evening.”

Kristoff could not help but give her a sympathetic wince. “I hope you don’t. But if you do, I hope you can get over it quickly.”

“Thank you, Kristoff,” Anna said.

“No problem,” Kristoff smiled, retreating a step. He didn’t want to linger and make things awkward. Well, _more_ awkward. “Tell Arthur I said I hope he feels better.”

“I will,” Anna said, her voice soft. “It was… really wonderful of you to check on him.”

Kristoff gave a small shrug with a little nod, walking slowly backwards down the walk. “Hope you both get back to feeling better right away.”

“Thank you,” she said again. “Goodnight Kristoff. Have a good weekend.”

“You too.” He committed to leaving now and turned to walk back to his truck. When he slid behind the wheel he glanced quickly to the house. The door was closed but he had a feeling that Anna still had her eyes on him from one of the darkened windows. 


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur was there to meet the truck at the end of the block the next week. He thanked Kristoff and Sven for being concerned about him and proceeded to tell Kristoff all the _interesting_ details about how bad his stomach flu was. 

Kristoff listened intently, glad that the boy seemed to be right back to his normal self. Down the street he could see Anna waiting on the porch, looking their way. He hoped that she hadn’t changed her mind about his visit to see if Arthur was okay. Having a week to reflect, he worried that she might be wary of him now, like how her attention hadn’t been taken off her son for even a second as they slowly made their way up the block. He would feel pretty terrible if she changed her mind and decided that him knocking on her door was creepy and frightening.

“… think you can make it, Kristoff?”

“Pardon?” He realized he must have accidentally tuned the boy out. So much for listening intently.

“My Christmas concert at school. It’s still three and a half weeks away, but think you can make it? It’s on a Wednesday night.”

Kristoff had no idea what to say. Did Anna know that her son was asking the garbage collector to go to his school and watch his concert? Probably not. What was he going to say? He could not accept the request without it coming straight from Anna herself. It would be _way_ too weird and he was sure that would be absolutely crossing a line. If he hadn’t already crossed it last week, that is.

“I will check my calendar and get back to you,” he finally told the boy.

“What calendar? All you adults say that, but you never walk around with calendars. Mom says its on her phone but she still forgets stuff all the time, so if she is really using the calendar why does she forget? Aren’t that what calendars are made for?”

“That and telling you the date,” Kristoff smiled.

Arthur just shrugged and started talking about all the awesome movies he got to watch when he was sick in bed while Kristoff continued to work. He made sure to listen carefully and respond when he was asked a question, not wanting to ignore the boy again. In fact, he had been so caught up with work and in what Arthur was saying, he was thrown off to notice that Anna was standing at the curb waiting for them.

Suddenly flustered, Kristoff’s grip on the garbage can slipped as he was lifting it over the back of the truck and the bags inside spilled into his face and down the front of his coveralls. Anna’s neighbours apparently bought the cheapest garbage bags they could find, because Kristoff could immediately feel a slick, gritty substance on his face. He looked down at the bags on the street to see that the slime had made its way all the way down the front of him as well.

Arthur burst out laughing as Kristoff quickly stripped off his gloves and pulled down the zipper on his now disgusting coveralls. His hand went straight to an inside pocket where he grabbed a clean rag and brought it up to his face quickly to get whatever was on his face off before it made its way into his mouth. He wasn’t squeamish and he didn’t gag or anything, but he just had to get whatever was on him, _off._

That done to the best that a dry rag without water would do, Kristoff finally looked at the three people who were standing on the sidewalk looking at him.

“Dude! Gross!” Sven started in.

Arthur, doing his best to hold back his laughter, burst out in giggles again.

And Anna. Anna had her hand to her mouth, but Kristoff saw the unmistakable signs of smiling on her face. That instantly lifted his spirit and he started to chuckle himself.

“One of those days,” he shrugged and leaned down to grab the bags and toss them in the back of the truck. 

With the mess cleaned up and the empty cans placed back on the curb, Kristoff found himself looking into Anna’s mesmerising blue eyes. She was looking at him in a way that he was very unaccustomed to and he was suddenly a little nervous about the fact that they seemed to be alone behind the truck. Sven had no doubt taken Arthur to the cab of the truck so that Kristoff and Anna could talk.

“Sorry about that,” Kristoff said putting his gloves back on and wiping as much as he could off the front of his coveralls.

“Why are you sorry?” Anna was exasperated, but still smiling. “I am sorry that happened to you! I can imagine that was very unpleasant.”

Kristoff had to chuckle. “Definitely up there on my gross-shit-o-meter.” As soon as the curse left his lips, he felt bad. He was too used to hanging out with garbage men where curse words were just part of everyday vocabulary. He was _not_ used to watching his language around other adults… and kids. He was suddenly glad that he hadn’t cursed in front of Arthur.

But if Anna was offended, she didn’t show it.

“I can run in and grab a wash cloth and a towel if you need?”

Kristoff shook his head. “Thanks, but don’t worry about it. No idea what is on me and I don’t what you to feel like you have to burn the towels after I use them.”

Anna smiled at his quip and tilted her head a little to the side as she looked at him in that way again. It was a look that said she was not at all disgusted by his job and a whole hell of a lot of other things that he could not possibly understand. But it was a look that he still recognized as being _interested_. He wasn’t so clueless that he didn’t recognize when a woman was coming onto him and Anna absolutely had that look now.

 _No fucking way_ … Was this even happening right now? He was filthy and covered in grime and she was giving him the most flirtatious look he had ever seen.

Kristoff’s heart quickened in his chest. She was just regarding him silently, waiting for him. In the back of his mind he wondered if she would just ask him if he took too long to do it himself.

“So, Anna,” Kristoff started, seizing the moment before he chickened out, “I was actually wondering if maybe you weren’t busy one night, we could grab bite to eat?” With his filthy gloves back on he resisted the urge to run his hand through his hair as he often did when he was nervous. 

“That would be great, Kristoff.”

“Really?” He caught himself. “Um, I mean, that’s awesome.”

Anna laughed. “How about you come pick me up when you’re done work next Friday? Would that work?”

“Absolutely.”

“Wonderful. I look forward to our date, Kristoff.”

 _Date!_ A date! Kristoff could only grin back at her as Arthur came dashing back to his Mother.

“Mom, Mom, Sven said I can ride in the truck up the street next week is that okay? Please Mom?”

To Kristoff’s utter delight, Anna kept her eyes on his for a moment as her head turned towards her son. Finally, her gaze followed. “Sure Arthur.”

*****

“Man, you have not stopped grinning, I’ve never seen you like this.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Sven. I’m twitterpated.”

Sven gave him a hearty laugh. “Good God, you’re weird when you are like this.”

Kristoff just shrugged and took a gulp from his beer. He had been on cloud nine since Anna had agreed to go on a date with him. He was nervous to be sure, but he was very excited. More excited than he had been for anything in a very long time.

Sven moved the conversation along and started bitching about his lazy brother-in-law and Kristoff really tried to be a good friend and to listen. But it was hard, his mind wanting to wander towards Anna. 

It was going to be a long week waiting to go on their date.


	5. Chapter 5

Kristoff had been filled with a wonderful nervous energy all night. Even as he drove Anna home, he was filled with a sense of awe.

Arthur had answered the door of course, and had given Kristoff a very excited and warm greeting, telling him to come in and take off his shoes and hang his coat on the end of the banister and then come up to his room and see his collection of Marvel action figures.

Anna had stepped in before Arthur got further ahead of himself and reminded him that she was leaving and to listen to the babysitter and go to bed on time. He agreed, seeming a little disappointed that Kristoff would not be going up to see his awesome toys, then gave his Mother a big hug.

On the way to the restaurant they had made small talk. He learned that Anna was an administrative assistant for a general contracting company, she didn’t have much of a social life outside of work, she was excited for Christmas, and she loved to do a bunch of Holiday baking.

Over dinner they talked about anything and everything. Kristoff told her about his large adoptive family and Anna told him about her rather small family; parents who passed away when she was a teenager, a sister who moved to the other coast to pursue a fashion career, and a dirtbag ex-boyfriend that left her as soon as he found out she was pregnant.

Still, Anna did not dwell on her past pain. She told Kristoff about the wonderful life she had with her amazing son. She had such beautiful things to say about him that she teared herself up. Truth be told she had put a lump in Kristoff’s throat as well.

Then just like that she was talking about something else and Kristoff rolled along with her, enjoying every single moment of being in her presence. He was absolutely mesmerized by her personality and the fact that she seemed to be enjoying their date just as much as he was.

Now, almost back at her house, Kristoff lamented coming to the end of their night out. He would ask her out again of course because he was pretty sure she would say yes, but he just did not want the night to end.

“The end of the year always goes by so fast.” Anna was talking about the list of things she still had to do before Christmas. “I can’t believe it’s already going to be December 1st on Sunday. I promised Arthur I was going to put lights on the house but I’ve been so busy. Plus, I checked with a few of my neighbours and no one has a tall enough ladder. Do stores even rent those?”

“Um, to tell you the truth I don’t really know. But I have an extension ladder. I could come over tomorrow and help if you like.”

Anna was silent and Kristoff took is eyes off the road, worried he was being too forward all of the sudden. But she was looking at him in that way that gave him butterflies in his stomach.

“You wouldn’t mind?” Her voice as soft as he had ever heard it.

“Of course not,” he said, looking back out the windshield. “I would be happy to.”

“Okay, sure. I would really appreciate that, Kristoff. I would love it if you came over tomorrow.”

Kristoff glanced over at her again. There was no doubt in his mind now that he was going to kiss her goodnight.

A minute later he pulled in front of her house and slipped quickly from the truck to walk around to the passenger side and open the door for Anna. She waited, knowing that he was going to do that. He had held doors for her and pulled out her chair all evening and she had already commented on how gentlemanly he was.

Walking side by side slowly up the walk to Anna’s house, she slipped her palm inside of his. His heart was beating fast but it wasn’t from nerves, it was from anticipation. 

Anna stopped and turned to Kristoff at the foot of the porch steps. “I had such a wonderful time, Kristoff.”

“Me too, Anna.”

She stepped closer to him, there were only a few inches between their bodies now. “When you come over tomorrow, I’ll make us all lunch. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect.” Kristoff inched his face down towards hers, making his intent clear so that Anna could pull back if she was uncomfortable. She did not. She tiptoed up and Kristoff smiled before he kissed her.

Anna sighed into him, arms coming up around his neck, chilly fingers brushing gently on his exposed skin there, sending shivers all the way down his spine. Kristoff put his hands around her hips, very gently pulling her flush against him. Despite wanting more, he kept the kiss chaste and Anna pulled away after a beautiful moment of pure bliss.

“Thank you for such a great evening, Kristoff.” Her arms slowly untangled from his neck and her hands slid down the front of his coat as she looked up into his eyes.

“It was my pleasure, Anna. I would love to take you out for dinner again.”

She smiled and nodded as she walked sideways up her steps. “I would like that. Let’s plan it out tomorrow.”

“Definitely.”

Anna paused at her door. “Goodnight, Kristoff.”

“Goodnight, Anna.”

“Sweet dreams.” She opened her door and stepped inside.

“You as well,” Kristoff smiled, giving her a small wave as she slowly shut the door.

*****

Arthur was outside with Kristoff while he was up on the ladder putting up the Christmas lights on Anna’s house. The boy had been nothing but questions all morning. Much to Kristoff’s relief, he kept his questions about what was going on between he and his mother, to himself. That would be an awkward conversation down the road, he was sure.

Anna had greeted him with a hug and a quick kiss to his cheek instead of his lips but making it very clear with her eyes that it was for Arthur’s benefit. She offered him a coffee first and he took her up on it, sitting at the kitchen table and chatting for a while Arthur did his weekend reading for school. 

It felt wonderful to be able to help her with this small task. He had put up lights at his place the weekend before, but wrapping the deck railing of his apartment with multicoloured lights and setting up a big plastic Santa beside his small barbeque was a far cry from being able to hang Christmas lights on the eaves of a house. And Anna had enough lights to wrap all the way around her little two-story home. Kristoff figured she would even have enough strands to put lights on the porch overhang as well.

Arthur helped by untangling all the strands and plugging them into an outside outlet to make sure they all worked before putting them in neat piles. It made Kristoff’s job a lot easier. Every time he moved the ladder, he grabbed another pocketful of clips and another strand of lights. Kristoff finished quickly and Arthur implored him to come inside and finally check out his action hero collection.

Kristoff put the ladder back in the bed of his pickup then did just that. He sat on the toy box at the foot of Arthurs bed while Arthur showed him and explained the special powers of every single one. Most of them Kristoff recognized from the massively popular movies, but there were a few others that were new to him. 

Arthur had a little book case stuffed with comic books and Kristoff thought about getting him some new reading material instead of another action figure, seeing as how he already had so many. And upon looking around Arthur’s room a little more, he realized that maybe the boy was too old for a toy garbage truck. Kristoff would have to rethink his birthday present.

Anna called them down for lunch and Kristoff followed Arthur downstairs and into the kitchen. On the table was a platter of grilled cheese sandwiches and a pot of tomato soup. After Anna labeled soup into everyone’s bowl, she sat down to join them.

Arthur had already grabbed a sandwich and was four big bites in when Kristoff reached for one. 

“These on this side are grilled ham and cheese if you’re interested. You more, more grown-up than just plain cheese.”

Kristoff looked up at Anna as she smiled and gave him a little wink. Chuckling he grabbed one of the ‘more adult’ sandwiches and took a big bite. Definitely the best grilled sandwich he’d tasted since his mother used to make them when he was a kid.

“So how long have you been a garbage man, Kristoff?” Arthur mumbled with a mouth full of grilled cheese.

“Arthur, don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Kristoff had to smile, but he was a little worried how his answer would sound to Anna. They hadn’t talked at all about his job on their date last night.

“It’s been quite a while,” Kristoff admitted. “Since I was seventeen, actually.”

“Really? That’s awesome! That’s like… um, wow, how many years is that?”

“Sixteen,” Kristoff said, daring to glance quickly at Anna.

Her smile was gentle and genuine. “What do you love most about it, Kristoff?” she asked.

Kristoff was taken a little aback by the question. No one had ever asked him why he loved his job before. Most people just didn’t understand why he didn’t do something else. _Anything_ else.

“Well,” he started, “First of all I love the hours and I have the weekends off. I get every holiday off too and even when we need to work longer to make up for the holiday, I still get off pretty early. I also love that it’s quiet. I don’t have a boss breathing down my neck or someone telling me I need to hurry up or do something a certain way… I mean it’s just trash collection. As long as me and Sven get it done, no one is unhappy.” He shrugged. 

Anna had her chin resting on her palm, urging him with a small nod and her beautiful eyes for him to elaborate.

“I also love being outside and getting exercise. Even in bad weather I really never have a terrible day. Well, I guess there was that one time someone’s dog got out of their yard and bit me on the ass, but-”

“Ass!” Arthur shouted, spitting soup everywhere before he burst out in gales of hysterical laughter.

“Arthur!” Anna scolded her son.

Kristoff’s face went red hot, embarrassed beyond belief. He was just telling himself on his way over that morning that he was going to have to watch his language and here he was, swearing at Anna’s dinner table. 

He turned his eyes to the table. “I… I am so sorry, Anna. Sorry Arthur.” 

She didn’t say anything and Kristoff just _had_ to look at her to see how pissed off she was, but he was surprised to find her fighting a smile as she wiped up the soup from the table with a napkin.

“Sorry, Mom,” Arthur said, his gaze into his soup, also clearly embarrassed. 

“S’okay,” Anna managed, putting her free hand to her mouth to stifle a smile as she tried not to laugh.

Arthur finally looked up at hearing his Mom talk so oddly and grinned, most likely knowing he was off the hook. Much to his relief, Kristoff also felt like he might be off the hook.

Finally, Anna put her hand down and laughed. “Okay, that was terrible of both of you to use potty language, but I have to admit, it was pretty funny.”

Arthur looked to Kristoff and gave him the same grin, a grin that said ‘you are now my partner in crime’ and Kristoff just shook his head and laughed along with them.

*****

Anna made Arthur go clean his room after he said goodbye to Kristoff then stepped out onto the front porch with him. As soon as the door was shut, Anna wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Kristoff was more than ready to kiss her back.

She kept it chase so he respected that by not trying to push anything. When she pulled from his lips and looked up at him, he asked her when she wanted to go on another date.

“Well, we could go out tomorrow night if you want.”

“Oh, I have Sunday dinners at my folks house actually. But how about Monday night?” 

“Sure,” Anna smiled. “I can’t wait.”

Kristoff hummed happily. “Me either,” and he kissed her again.

It took two more goodbyes and three more kisses before Kristoff was back in his truck and headed home, singing along to the radio and feeling on top of the world.


	6. Chapter 6

This time their date did not end in a chaste kiss. Anna parted her lips and when Kristoff parted his in response, she slid her tongue into his mouth. It made him weak in the knees.

They were so at ease with each other, so perfectly able to be themselves. They had even talked about how comfortable they were with each other at one point over their romantic candle-lit dinner. 

Anna was supportive of him in a way that was foreign to him, well from someone other than Sven that was. She told him how much she enjoyed hearing that he loved his job and if truth be told, he was still having a hard time believing it. Not that he didn’t trust her. No, that was the farthest thing from what he thought, but it was the way she did not treat him any differently than anyone else. To an observer it could have been surmised that it was because she knew he was a garbage man before she agreed to date him, but Kristoff understood that Anna truly held no judgements of others. She was so kind and genuinely caring of people. It was in everything she did.

Anna suddenly pulled back from Kristoff’s lips and stepped out of his embrace. “We need to stop.”

Kristoff stammered, hoping he hadn’t been doing anything wrong. “I, I’m sorry if I did something-”

Anna laughed, a little wildly, as she looked down. She took in a huge breath and let it out slowly. “No, no, it’s not you. _At all_. It’s just been a very long time since… you know. If I keep kissing you, I am going to ask you upstairs and I just can’t do that right now.”

Kristoff immediately understood, and if he had to admit, was a little relieved that she desired to be intimate as much as he did. “Totally fine. I get it.”

Her eyes came up and met his. “Yeah?”

Kristoff nodded. 

Anna looked at him carefully a moment before smiled slowly. “I knew it. You are perfect.”

Kristoff blushed. He was a lot of things, but he knew he was not perfect. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“I would. And it’s true. You are amazing, Kristoff. Did you know that?”

“I’m not perfect, Anna. And for the record, I think you are the amazing one,” he said, reaching out for her hips and pulling her back against him, knowing that Anna had but a stop to everything but simply unable to help himself. She went to him willingly, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest with a sigh.

“When can we go out again?” she asked, lips slightly muffled against his coat.

“Whenever you want. Tomorrow if you feel like it.”

Anna gave him a tiny whine. “My babysitter us unavailable on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.”

“Then how about I bring over dinner and we can all eat it while we watch tv or something?”

Anna pulled her head back and looked up into his eyes. She seemed suddenly hesitant about something. “It… wouldn’t bother you? To have a date with Arthur being around too?”

Kristoff was a little shocked. “Of course, not. Why would you think that?”

Anna shrugged, now looking sad and confused as she pulled out of his arms again. “I’m sorry, I know you are nothing like that, but I have had a lot of back luck with guys in the past who aren’t exactly accepting of the whole family setting thing. I guess… well, I guess I am still having a hard time believing you are real.”

“What do you mean, Anna?”

“I just can’t help but wonder if you are going to get tired of it too. Does that make sense?”

Kristoff shook his head. Nothing she was saying right now made sense.

“It happens to me _every single time_. I meet a guy and I am very upfront that I have a kid, then the guy hangs around for a bit, I think things are getting serious so I let him deeper into my life. Then they suddenly can’t _deal_ with having a child around all the time while they try to date me because lord knows you can’t go to dinner _every_ night, and they leave. Afterwards I have to pick up the pieces and give Arthur answers to his questions. That… that is the hardest part,” she ended in a whisper.

Anna wasn’t crying but Kristoff nearly was. He had no idea why her pain seemed to hurt him so much. The worst thing was, he had absolutely no idea how to make her feel better.

She signed, turning her eyes to the ground. “I haven’t dated anyone for the past two years because I just couldn’t deal with it anymore. Then I met you and here you are, the most amazing person I have ever been out with, and all the hurt in my past tells me that you are too good to be true, that despite how I’ve come to have some very real and deep feelings for you, I have been through this scenario more times than I care to think about and it’s going to end the same way as all the others. My heart tells me that you are different, but my head tells me that I am going to get hurt because there is no way that this, that _you_ , can possibly be real.”

Kristoff swallowed his emotion. He still had no idea what to say. He wasn’t mad at her, or even hurt by what she was saying, but he was bothered by it. 

“Are you thinking now that you might get tired of it, Kris? Are you suddenly thinking what its actually going to be like having a kid around all the time and you’re trying to come up with something to say to get out? Because if you are, we need to put a stop to this right now.”

Kristoff let out an exasperated breath and Anna finally looked back up at him with teary frightened eyes.

“Anna, I am sorry. I… I truly do not know what to say to you right now.” He shook his head, mind completely blank on how to express himself. The sudden change in her mood had blindsided him a little and even though he absolutely understood her feelings, he struggled to form a comprehensive thought among all the ones suddenly flying through his head.

She shrugged, starting to cry. “Just say you’re done and I’ll just pretend that nothing happened between us. I won’t make any trouble for you.”

Kristoff put his face in his hands, growing panicked that his stupid brain could not come up with the words he wanted, and clearly _needed_ , to say to her. 

“I knew it, I knew I shouldn’t have given myself one more chance…” she whispered in a wavering voice. “I knew it was too good to be true.” She sobbed once and after a moment cleared her throat and spoke louder. “I think you should leave.”

“I’m real,” he blurted, pulling his face out of his hands. “Anna, I am so sorry you’ve been hurt in the past. But _I am real_.”

Anna just blinked at him with wide questioning eyes. 

Kristoff struggled with his thoughts. “I am not going to get tired of the fact that you have a son. I… I just can’t. _I can’t_. I care about you, Anna. I care about you a whole hell of a lot, and I care about Arthur too. I _loved_ spending time with both of you on Saturday. It was… it felt…” Kristoff let out a frustrated breath and scrubbed his palms against his eyes, trying to focus his thoughts when Anna was suddenly grabbing him around the waist. 

“I’m sorry,” she wept, burying her face in his coat. “Oh God Kristoff, I am so sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry.” He slipped his arms around her and held her tight, surprised to find himself so emotional that his eyes were welling up with tears. _So, this is what falling in love feels like,_ he thought. 

“I don’t know why I said all that, I know you are not like them. I’m just so _scared_ … and I am so _so_ sorry. Can you please forgive me?”

Kristoff smiled to himself. “Nothing to forgive,” he whispered, laying his cheek against the top of her head. “I understand where you’re coming from. And please stop apologizing.”

“Christ, I’m a mess,” Anna sniffed, hugging him tighter.

“You’re not a mess. You are a human being, Anna. I would feel the same way if I had been hurt like that so many times too.”

“Have you? Ever been hurt like that, I mean?” Anna pulled her face off his coat and looked up at him as she wiped the tears of her face with her fingers.

Kristoff shook his head. “I’ve never been in anything even close enough to a serious relationship to get hurt.”

“Never?”

Kristoff shrugged. “I’ve just never been with anyone who I felt I could be my true self with. Until you, that is.”

Anna gave him a slow smile, fresh tears forming in her eyes. “Until me?”

Kristoff smiled back. “I have very real and deep feelings for you too, Anna. I’m not going anywhere.”

Anna smashed her face against his chest and sighed deeply. “Good, because I adore having you in my life.”


	7. Chapter 7

After Arthur was tucked into bed and fast asleep, Anna lay snuggled against Kristoff’s chest on the couch and they chatted while the movie played quietly, unwatched.

“Would you be interested in going to my Christmas Party with me, Kristoff?”

“Sure. When is it?”

“Next Saturday.”

“Is it fancy?”

“Not a black-tie affair or anything, but yes, it is fancy.”

“Okay that gives me time to find a suit.”

Anna chuckled. “Do you have a work Christmas party?”

“Uh huh,” Kristoff hummed, rubbing his palm up and down Anna’s arm as she curled herself tighter against him. “You want to go with me?”

Anna nodded.

“Just FYI it is _not_ fancy. Garbage men aren’t exactly into posh parties. There will be jeans and long sleeve t-shirts as far as the eye can see.” Kristoff waved his arm wide in front of him from left to right with his palm out and Anna giggled. “It’s at the REC room actually.”

“Is that the place with all the arcade games?”

“The very same.”

“Fun! I’ve heard people talk about it but I’ve never been there. When is it?”

“This Friday.”

“Okay, I will get my sitter.”

Kristoff smiled, looking up at the ceiling and taking a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He was in heaven. He looked back down at Anna. “Speaking of Christmas parties, Arthur invited me to his Christmas concert at school.”

“Oh, he did, did he?” Anna smiled. “What did you say?”

“Well, that was before we went out and I had no idea if you would be into me,”

“I am very much into you,”

Kristoff blushed. “I told him I would check my calendar.”

Anna gave him a low chuckle and shifted her body, pressing her chest against him and putting her face closer to his. “And did you?”

“I did, and it looks like I’m free.”

“Wonderful,” Anna breathed then kissed him.

Kristoff kissed her back as he pulled her into his lap. He would truly never tire of her kisses. Anna shifted against him, making herself comfortable but also heightening his quick growing arousal in the process. 

Things were getting very heated very fast and Kristoff wondered how long this would go on before they should put a stop to-

“Mom?”

Anna leapt off Kristoff’s lap and stood up so quickly that she tripped over her feet and would have fallen over if he hadn’t quickly grabbed her hand to prevent her from landing on her ass. 

Arthur came around the corner of the living room a second later, seeing nothing incriminating.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Okay, sweetie. I’ll tuck you back in and read you another quick story. Just go back to bed and I’ll be up in a moment, alright?”

“Okay,” he said, rubbing his eyes and turning around.

Anna let out a quick breath. “Sorry Kristoff.”

“Anna…”

“Okay, okay, I know, stop saying sorry. You know that its practically ingrained. I’ve heard you apologize a few times too.”

Kristoff chuckled and stood with Anna. “Very true. But I am serious, please don’t feel like you have to apologize to me for things like that. I get it.”

Anna smiled at him slowly shaking her head. “Perfect.”

“Nope,” Kristoff grinned and leaned over to give her a quick kiss. “If I said I wanted to hang out again tomorrow night would that be too much?”

“Hell no.”

“Alright, I’ll be over after work.”

“Maybe you could help me get the tree and Christmas stuff up from the basement? Arthur has been bugging me to get it.”

“It’s a date.” Kristoff winked then leaned over and kissed her one more time before heading to the door.

*****

“So, they are all little plushies, huh?”

“Yup,” Arthur confirmed. “Mom said she found a bunch of them at a thrift store for my first… um I mean my second Christmas because she was still in the hospital for my real first Christmas, but I was only one and I was pulling myself up on stuff and she didn’t want anything breakable. She told me we had a really small tree back then because there wasn’t room in our apartment, but anyway, she just keeps finding new plushies every year, she even buys them after Christmas when she tells me they are on sale for next year and she says I’ve always love them, but don’t tell her that now I actually think they are kind of girlie even though some of them are okay, like that Spiderman one and the batman one… wait, where is the batman one?”

Arthur started digging through the plastic tote while Kristoff grabbed another tree ornament and put it up high on the tree where Arthur wasn’t able to reach. He had to admit, a tree full of soft cartoonish ornaments was pretty cute. It reminded him a lot of his childhood. His adoptive parents took in a lot of young foster kids over the years, and the house was always baby and toddler protected meaning doing anything was annoying as shit with all plug protectors and cabinet and toilet locks. And as long as he had lived there, the Christmas tree was just a two-foot-tall thing that sat on the back of the sofa table, wrapped with garland and a few plastic ball ornaments and not much else. Not that anyone cared because the presents were always piled on the floor beside it every Christmas morning. 

“Fount it!”

“Awesome.” Kristoff gave Arthur a thumbs up. 

Anna called in from the kitchen, “Guys, dinner is ready!”

“Taco’s!” Arthur shouted as he sprang to his feet, tossing the ornament on the floor and sprinted towards the kitchen.

Kristoff took the moment to himself to look around the small living room. The tree was as tall as him and extremely colorful. Anna had hung stockings while Kristoff had been setting up the tree. There was a marvel one that was clearly Arthur’s and a typical red one with a fuzzy white hem on the top that he surmised was Anna’s.

On the mantle among the heavy stocking holders that were in the shape of cartoonish reindeer with large comical grins, was a little nutcracker, a snow globe with a Santa in it and a glass figure of the Griswold car with the ridiculously large tree, roots and all, strapped to the top. Kristoff was going to have to ask Anna where she got that because it made him laugh.

At some point she must have also unpacked her Christmas pillows because the little couch and chair beside it were now full of them. On the coffee table was a red tray with five white candles on top in the shape of different sized trees, making a festive centrepiece. There were more tree-shaped candles stacked haphazardly on the end table, most likely to be dispersed different places around the house.

And the floor was covered with half open plastic totes exploding with Christmas decorations. It was the coziest, most loving setting Kristoff could imagine and it made him feel emotional.

Dammit, he _was_ soft. His parents always told him so. They recognized that within him in the first two weeks living in their house and they encouraged him often to embrace it. Then adolescence happened, then high school, then trying to fit in when he was a green seventeen-year-old trying to learn what he considered to be a trade among hard men who never dared get emotional and were often times obscene and crass.

He did what everyone else did, and for a long time, he ignored himself.

It wasn’t until he reached his mid-twenties that he was tired of it and started to let go of the armour. There was a still a firm grasp, but he began to open up a little and not care so much about being someone he wasn’t. Sven had a lot to do with that. The guy was an open book and they became instant friends when Sven took over driving the truck when the old man who drove with Kristoff retired. He was the best wingman there ever was and helped Kristoff get a lot of dates.

Still, his relationships, such as they were, all failed. Thinking back now he realized that maybe he was unable to fully let go and be himself because he never felt that special connection with anyone.

He never got beyond a couple of dates with women and he never felt one way or another when they dumped or ghosted him. Now he realized that he may have been using the fact that he was a garbage man as an excuse that nothing worked out when in reality it was most likely due to the fact that he was still acting a little bit like an uncaring tough guy, even though that was the farthest thing from the truth.

It wasn’t until shortly after he met Anna that he decided he wasn’t going to hide behind that mask he had made for himself. He was going to allow himself to feel and express emotion, tired of holding even the smallest of things back and tired of pretending when things didn’t bother him. Perhaps that was what had spurred him on even more to see if Arthur was okay that day when he wasn’t on the street to greet him. Perhaps it was that honestly that Anna saw within him, and as she mentioned, decided to give herself another chance.

It was still all very new to him, not immediately brushing off the emotions that came, but he liked it. No, actually, he loved it. He loved feeling comfortable in his own skin.

Now, grabbing one more ornament from the tote and putting it on the tree, listening to Arthur and Anna talk in the kitchen, he was glad he had finally come into himself and he was glad that Anna had given herself another chance, because he was in love with her and he was going to marry her.


	8. Chapter 8

“Are you and my Mom dating?”

Kristoff froze with his hands almost on the trash can. Arthur had been talking about school a half a second ago and interrupted his own story to ask that question. 

He looked at the boy, trying not to panic. This was definitely not his area of expertise and was he even supposed to be talking to him about this? Anna told him that she would have a talk with Arthur, she was his mother after all, should he even be answering the question?

Arthur looked at him, waiting, and Kristoff realized that the boy was asking _him_ specifically. There was a look on his face that said this was a talk between men and Kristoff now understood where Arthur was coming from and the reason for the boy’s sudden seriousness. He was being protective of his mother.

Kristoff straightened and took a deep breath before he turned to face Arthur and knelt down to be eye level with him.

“Yes, we are dating. Is that okay?”

Arthur shrugged. “Yeah, I mean, for sure. She’s really happy and I like seeing her like that. But last time I overheard her talking to Auntie Elsa on the phone and she was crying. I was supposed to be in bed but I snuck downstairs and heard her saying that the guy she had been dating had left her.”

“That must have been very hard for your Mom,” Kristoff said softly. He wanted Arthur to express himself and ask what he was going to ask at his own pace and in his own way.

“It was a long time ago… like, four years ago.”

Kristoff knew it was only two because Anna had told him so but he did not correct the boy.

“She said she was giving up on dating and she was so sad and I felt really bad… that’s why I snuck back upstairs and didn’t say anything. I wasn’t supposed to be up.”

“Understandable,” Kristoff shifted his gaze quickly up the street. Anna wasn’t on the porch but she told Kristoff the day before that as long as he was on the street, she knew Arthur was safe. Then he looked quickly to the side mirror of the truck where he saw Sven’s face. His friend wasn’t giving him his usual shit eating grin but as soon as he caught his eye, Sven gave a nod and an thumbs up, clearly picking up on what was going down and telling Kristoff to take all the time he needed.

“It made me really sad to see her cry and I hate seeing her cry. And… and I don’t want _you_ to make her cry.”

Kristoff smiled at Arthur as he stripped off his work gloves and set them down on the sidewalk. Then he put his hand gently on Arthur’s shoulder so that he could understand Kristoff meant what he was about to say.

“I would never make your Mom cry, Arthur. She means a lot to me.”

“So, you won’t leave too?”

“Man to man?” Kristoff offered and was delighted to see a tiny smile curve Arthur’s lips as he nodded. “I’m not going anywhere. You don’t have to worry about that. Okay?”

“Okay.” His smile widened.

Kristoff grabbed his gloves and put them back on as he stood up, glad that Arthur said what he wanted to say, and glad that he was able to, he hoped, handle it appropriately. 

“So, are you guys still going out tonight?”

“Yes, it’s my work Christmas party. Why do you ask?”

Arthur shrugged. “I like it when we all hang out. Sometimes it’s lonely when you guys go do stuff.”

“Well, how about we all do something tomorrow? We could go to Heritage Park.”

“For ‘Once Upon a Christmas?’” Arthur’s eyes lit up. 

“Sure.”

“Awesome!” Arthur fist pumped the air and soon they were headed back up the street as Kristoff tossed trash into the back, talking about how fun tomorrow was going to be.

*****

Anna and Nancy hit it off right away. Despite both being competitive and constantly trash talking each other as they played games, they laughed all night long. Kristoff and Sven had their own fun watching them as they talked.

On the cab back to Anna’s, she could not stop talking about how much fun she had and how awesome it was to meet a new friend. Her and Nancy had already set up to meet for coffee next week and in the New Year they were all going to go on double dates as often as they could.

Since Arthur was in bed, Anna and Kristoff sat on the couch and talked for a minute before they broke down and started kissing. Things got more intense when Anna shifted herself into his lap again. Kristoff had his hand under Anna’s sweater, caressing her bare back when she finally pulled away from him with a groan and took a seat beside him on the couch. 

“Kristoff, I’m sorry I still think-”

Kristoff chuckled. “I told you to stop apologizing. And you don’t have to explain anything to me. I am fine with taking this a slow as you want to take it.”

“I know that Kristoff and I thank you. And I really appreciate how you handled his questions this morning, but I feel like I need to have a talk with him. I just… I need some time to think of how to approach this. He is so much older now and I worry about how his views have changed and become more… mature. Does that make sense?”

Kristoff nodded.

“Anyway, I just think it would be better for him to give this some time. I don’t want to rush anything and I don’t think you should stay the night for a little while. I just want to get him used to everything before I have a serious talk with him.”

“I agree with you.”

Anna gave him that look when she called him perfect but she did not say it this time, much to Kristoff’s relief. 

“Well,” she started, dragging out the word before biting her bottom lip. “There is one thing. Next weekend for my Christmas party, I got the sitter to stay the night.”

“Oh okay. Do your parties usually go pretty late?”

Anna shook her head, laughing at what Kristoff just realized now what she was hinting at. “No, but that’s what I told the sitter… and Arthur. I suggested that instead of making her go home in the middle of the night, I would just grab a room at the hotel and be back first thing in the morning. But instead of spending money on a room that we’ll only be in for a few hours, we could get a cab and go to your place…” Anna raised her eyebrows seductively.

“A sleepover, huh?” Kristoff grinned. “Great idea.”

“That is, as long as I can keep my hands off of you for a week. You make it very hard you know, what with all this hotness.” Anna gestured her hand to Kristoff’s body.

“I don’t exactly have a cake walk here myself, Anna. You do all kinds of things to me.”

“Hmmm, what kinds of things.”

“Well there’s this, for example,” he said, grabbing the hand that Anna had resting on his thigh and pushing it against his jeans between his legs. 

Anna’s eyes widened and she gave him a playful gasp with a wide smile spreading on her face.

“Oh my, that won’t do.” She gave him a devilish smirk now. “I know how I can fix that.”

Kristoff laughed. “Anna, don’t worry, it’s nothing. I didn’t mean I wanted anything, I just wanted you to know that your hotness is also on my mind. Constantly, to tell you the truth.”

“So, you don’t want…”

Anna looked a little dejected but Kristoff held firm. This is who he was, after all. He wasn’t going to tell her what he felt she wanted to hear, he was going to be honest.

“Oh, I _do_ want it. More than you can possibly imagine. But I agree with what you were just saying. We will have the entire night after your party to do anything we can think of, then we can just take things as they come okay. No need to complicate anything and no need to do anything when I know you will be worrying in the back of your mind the entire time about getting caught. I know I would be.”

Anna just stared at him a moment before she opened her mouth. “Perf-”

“Anna.”

“Well you _are_ ,” she whined. 

“So are you.”

Her nose scrunched up and she scoffed at him.

“See?! It’s the same thing.”

“Oh alright,” Anna sighed. “Don’t think I’m going to stop telling you that though. I won’t be able to.”

*****

Snow started falling that night in big fat flakes that blanketed the landscape in matter of hours. When Kristoff woke to the winter wonderland he smiled. Arthur had just been talking about how he hoped that it was going to snow soon and how excited he was for it. Normally there was plenty of snow on the ground by December, but this year had been unseasonably warm.

He made himself some scrambled eggs and toast and took a seat at his little kitchen table and ate in silence while he thought about things. He was about halfway through his breakfast when he put his fork down and grabbed his phone. 

It rang twice before he heard Anna’s voice.

“Good morning Kristoff. How did you sleep?”

“Pretty good. How about you?”

“Okay,” Anna sighed. Then he heard movement on the other line a moment before she spoke again. “I wish it was with you though.”

Kristoff imagined Anna had gone out of earshot of Arthur to tell him that and it made him smile. “Me too, Anna. But that’s why I was calling you actually.”

“Okay?”

Kristoff laughed it off, knowing how stupid that sounded before he explained. “I was thinking about introducing you and Arthur to my family. You know I go every Sunday and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me next weekend? I would invite for tomorrow of course but Ma texted me that her and Pop were sick and they didn’t want to give it to any of the kids so they were going to have a quiet night in.”

Anna inhaled slowly on the other end of the line. “And this has something to do with sleeping in the same bed how?”

Kristoff chuckled. “Sorry, that’s not exactly what I meant by that. And please, please understand that I am with you on waiting for when you think it’s appropriate to sleep over, of course, but I was thinking that since I have tons of nieces and nephews that it would be great for Arthur to get to know them. That way he can get used to bigger family gatherings and maybe it will help with having him understand the seriousness of our relationship so that he won’t be uncomfortable with it or have any worries about it.”

Anna was dead silent on the other line but Kristoff knew what was going through her mind. 

“I told you, Anna. I am not going anywhere.”

She sniffed a few times then gently cleared her throat. “I know that, Kristoff. I know that and I trust you completely. And I think that is a wonderful idea to have dinner with your family next weekend. I just can’t believe how absolutely fucking perfect you are.”

Kristoff gave her a low chuckle but ignored her. “So, are we still on for today?”

“Taking Arthur to the Christmas fair at Heritage Park, are you kidding me? He hasn’t stop talking about it.”

“Awesome. What did he think of the snow?”

“Oh, he freaked out. He’s so excited.”

Kristoff thought of Arthur’s excited face and his heart lurched in his chest. It was so unexpected that he pulled in a sharp breath.

“You okay?”

“Oh, uh, yes. It was just… um, something just occurred to me.”

“And what as that?”

He didn’t want to lie to her. He would feel like shit if he lied to her, but he was not ready to talk about it just yet. “Oh nothing, just thinking of a bunch of things at once.” It wasn’t a lie; his mind had been over occupied lately. “I’ll be over in a little bit, okay?”

“Sure, sounds good. I can’t wait to see you.”

If she suspected he was holding anything back she did not let it come through in her tone. “Me either.”


	9. Chapter 9

During the remainder of the week, Kristoff and Anna spent as much time together as they could. Kristoff was starting to feel very comfortable in Anna’s home. It made his apartment seem darker and quieter when he was there. He didn’t mind though; he was incredibly thankful for the way things were turning out with Anna. The looks, the kisses when Arthur was tucked in bed, even the ones that ended up in him being sexually frustrated, were all moments he wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. And if Anna ended up deciding that going to his place after her party should be put on hold, there was no way he would be disappointed even though he wanted her more than anything else in the world.

He was in love with her after all.

Arthur burst out laughing when the squirrel exploded from the tree and started chasing the Griswold’s around the house. After a stern talk about not repeating the swears he was going to hear, Anna agreed to let Arthur watch what was her and Kristoff’s favourtie Christmas movie.

Anna’s back bobbed with her laughter against his chest. All week long they had been finishing Christmas decorating, making cookies and bars, watching movies and enjoying quiet nights in Anna’s home. It was something that Kristoff had always hoped for; deep down he had always wanted a family. At one point he had wanted a very big one but then he got older and things never worked out with anyone. When he turned thirty, he decided that any family would be just perfect, even a small one. When he turned thirty-two, he had to wonder if he was destined to be alone forever.

Then almost one year later, on the same day that he was going to take Anna on their first date, a little red-headed boy rushed up to him while he was working and wished him a very happy belated – even though it was only two days – birthday, and had given him a hand-drawn card.

That was when he _knew_. 

Looking at the card more carefully after work as he got ready to take Anna out and seeing all the detail and effort that Arthur put into it, he had a feeling that he had found the family he was looking for. Silly, given the fact that he and Anna still hadn’t actually been on their date, but there was something deep inside of Kristoff that told him this was going to work out, that this wasn’t going to fail like all the others. 

Now given all the time they had spent together, Kristoff believed that even more firmly. He knew in his heart he had found exactly what he had always hoped for.

Kristoff loved Anna, and when he was talking to her on the phone in his kitchen the previous Saturday asking her to meet his family and if Arthur was excited for the snow, he knew he loved Arthur too. He hoped he could be a father figure to the boy, although he was sure he already partly was. It was the thought of if he ever called him ‘Dad’ that made him want to cry because more than anything he wanted to be the father that Arthur deserved.

Anna and Arthur both snort laughed and Kristoff could not help but join them. Not because the movie was hilarious but because they both had the same laugh and Kristoff loved it dearly.

*****

Anna’s company Christmas party was quite different from Kristoff’s laid-back night of arcade games, pool and foosball.

It was in a banquet room of a hotel, and while the hotel was attached to a small Casino, the space was classy and decorated. Everyone was dressed to the nines and there wasn’t a man in sight who didn’t have a jacket and tie.

Kristoff hooked his finger against is neck and pulled at his own tight shirt collar, unable to remember the last time he had had to wear a tie for anything. He didn’t mind all that much though. Anna had given him such a lusty look upon seeing him dressed up that he had a mind to wear suits more often.

And she was nothing short of _stunning_. When she stepped out of her bathroom dressed in a long sleeved and sequined emerald green cocktail dress, Kristoff’s jaw hit the floor. All he could seem to think about after that was getting her out of it when the party was over.

Anna led him into the banquet room and took him to the first person she saw and introduced him to her co-worker and her husband. After that Kristoff met two other people and they made small talk before Anna gave him a couple of drink tickets they were given at the door and asked him to grab them each a drink.

Kristoff approached the bar smiling from ear to ear. He was having a great time already even though the party had barely started, not to mention how much he was looking forward to his and Anna’s sexy ‘after-party’. 

He was also very excited for Anna and Arthur to meet his family tomorrow. He just knew Arthur was going to have a blast with all the other kids and he really wanted his family to meet them both.

“A glass of white and a bottle of Budweiser, please,” Kristoff asked the bartender.

“Sure thing,” the bartender said as two women sidled up beside Kristoff, waiting to order a drink. One was blonde and looked every bit the part someone who would demand to speak to a manager, and the other was a tall brunette with some very unfortunate facial enhancements. Her lips looked like they were stung by bee’s.

“Did you hear Anna’s date is a _garbage man?”_ The blonde cackled quietly. “God I am so glad that I don’t have a kid if the only men I could find who were interested in me were filthy trash collectors.”

“Ew, totally. Have you seen him yet?” asked her brunette friend.

“No, but I can imagine. He’s probably outside chain smoking. Either that of he’s in the casino sitting at a slot machine because she’s over in the corner there by herself.”

The women laughed with each other.

“The guy is probably bald with a huge beer gut. Hell, maybe he’s even missing some teeth.”

More cackling laughter.

Kristoff clenched his jaw, hoping that the bartender would hurry up and get the new bottle of wine open. He didn’t care if they were saying shitty things about him, but if they said one more word about Anna, he was going to give them both a piece of his mind.

“He’s probably fugly… unlike _this_ tall drink of water.” The annoying voice suddenly got a lot louder.

Kristof looked sideways at the blonde woman now leaning on the bar and giving him _fuck me_ eyes. 

“What’s your story, handsome?”

“ _Not_ interested,” Kristoff sneered, looking away as the bartender set the bottle and glass on the edge of the bar. Kristoff slipped a five into the tip jar then grabbed the drinks, not bothering to look back at the two rude women.

He found Anna in a corner talking to an older lady. As he stepped up, the woman excused herself to get a drink, leaving Anna and Kristoff alone. He gave her the wine without a word.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

Kristoff realized he was brooding, but hearing Anna call him _honey_ made it all go away. His face relaxed and he smiled. “Nothing at all.”

Anna smiled at him, relieved. “Let’s go find a table, I don’t want to scramble for a spot when they announce dinner.

“Okay,” Kristoff held out his elbow. Anna slipped her arm through it and led him to a table on the opposite side of the bar in the corner where the table wouldn’t be crowded by people waiting to get a drink after dinner.

Another couple sat beside Kristoff and the man introduced himself. He did the same and they chatted a moment before someone grabbed the microphone and politely asked everyone to find a seat. Kristoff was looking down at his tie, making sure it was still straight, when he heard her.

“Oh, _there_ you are, Anna.” 

Kristoff’s shoulders slumped upon hearing that voice. The last thing in the world he wanted was to endure a dinner sitting at the same table as that blonde piece of work. He took a deep breath then brought his face up, making it impassive, then turned sideways in his chair and slid his arm around Anna’s shoulders as the woman approached. 

The blonde stopped and her eyes widened. “Oh, my God. So you are… Anna’s…. date. Errrr, about before…”

“What about before?” Anna asked, suddenly defensive, looking over at Kristoff.

“Oh, she’s just embarrassed because I overheard her talking to her friend at the bar. She was ripping in to you because you brought a garbage man as a date and then started ripping into me, saying how _fugly_ I must be. Then she tired to hit on me and is now discovering that I am, in fact, that unfortunate disgusting garbage man who is your date,” Kristoff smiled sarcastically at the woman, showing her all his perfectly straight teeth.

Anna looked to woman, fury on her face. “Are you fucking kidding me, Kathy? Who are you to judge the person I brought to the Christmas party? This garbage man just so happens to have a heart of pure gold. He is the most amazing person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. You should be so lucky to find such an incredible man.” 

“I think I’ll find another table,” the blonde muttered, leaving with her tail tucked firmly between her legs. 

Kristoff had to laugh.

“Why would that be funny?” Anna looked positively disturbed by what happened.

Kristoff quietly retold the conversation between the ladies to Anna verbatim, then laughed again when he got to the part where he turned the woman down because now that she knew he was the garbage man, it made it so much funnier. By the end of it, Anna was laughing quietly with him, their heads tucked together as they giggled, ignoring anyone else who happened to take a seat at their table.

*****

Kristoff’s heart thumped quick and steady in his chest as he made love to Anna.

The way she felt, the way she moved with him… it was like they were made only for each other.

Anna moaned his name again. He knew she was approaching her second orgasm and he aimed to give her a third. Stamina had never been something he was lacking. He shifted his body as he thrust into her, grinding his hips upwards and was quickly rewarded by her quivering around him as she voiced a soft and strangled cry.

Kristoff slowed his pace substantially, waiting for Anna to come down from the euphoria of her climax as he watched her writhe against him.

When her eyes opened, he was struck again by the love and trust he saw there.

Anna shifted her position and Kristoff moved with her, easily figuring out what she wanted. He pulled her back against his chest and settled his palm firmly between her breasts as he pushed himself back into her. He quickly found a comfortable rhythm, slower and more relaxed than a moment ago, then began caressing her side, moving across her hip, down her thigh and back up to her breasts.

Anna reached behind her and grabbed the back of his head, pulling it into the back of her neck. Kristoff buried his nose in her hair, breathing in the scent of her and letting out a low moan, then shifted his head to the side and started kissing her neck, moving slowly down her shoulder as they rocked with each other.

Anna sighed. There was no talking between them, just sounds of pleasure and soft whispers of each other’s name. It had never been like this for Kristoff before and he had a feeling it was the same for Anna. He savoured every moment, in awe of the level of love within their lovemaking. It was special to him in a way that he hoped he could explain to her sometime. 

As she approached her peak again Kristoff picked up the pace, growing desperate with his own release. No sooner did she start to pulse against his cock and Kristoff gripped her body tight against his as he came with her.

“Anna,” he exhaled, eyes shut tight, feeling the waves course through his body. He become a little disoriented for a moment and it wasn’t until he opened his eyes to see Anna’s soft gaze that everything seemed to come back to focus.

They still didn’t say much. There was nothing to say, really. Anything that was on their minds they had just expressed to each other in the most beautifully physical way. Soon their naked bodies were pressed together under the pile of blankets, snuggling to keep warm in the cool room. Both exhausted, sleep approached them quickly.

Anna ran her palm up and down his chest, her caress slowing as she neared ever closer to sleep. “I still can’t believe you’re real,” she muttered.

“I’m real, Anna,” he whispered. “And I am yours.”


	10. Chapter 10

Kristoff woke with Anna pressed against his side, arm slung over his stomach, breathing against his bare ribs, one leg draped over his. He was at peace in a way that he had never experienced before and wondered idly how he could not have known that there could be so much happiness in life.

He had no idea what time it was, but he was content to simply watch Anna sleep. The alarm on her phone would be going off soon and he wanted to savour the moment to himself, quietly admiring the love of his life. Too bad it didn’t last long. 

Anna stirred, waking slowly, then looked up at him with a soft smile. She hummed happily, “Good morning.”

“I love you, Anna.”

That was weird, he meant to say ‘good morning’. He had no regret in finally saying it however, because it was the God’s honest truth and he knew what Anna was going to say back.

Her smile widened, eyes becoming glassy. “I love you too, Kristoff. More than I think you realize.”

He responded with a happy sigh and hugged her tighter. “I would love nothing more than to spend all day in bed with you, just like this, but I have a feeling your alarm is going to-”

Anna’s phone started vibrating and chiming on the nightstand and they both chuckled.

“I wish I would have told the sitter I would be back at nine instead of eight,” she sighed as she reached over to silence the phone.

Kristoff watched her bare back as she did so and tried to calculate how quickly he would be able to give her an orgasm. Anna told him she was going to set it so that they only had about ten minutes to get up and get ready before they had to head back to her house. He figured he could make the math work in his favour, so when she leaned back over, he kissed her and he didn’t stop until she was coming undone in his arms.

*****

Kristoff found himself alone with Anna on the couch in his parents’ home while chaos raged upstairs and in the kitchen. There were so many people that that the modest sized house felt claustrophobic and he was highly suspicious of the fact that suddenly him and Anna were now by themselves. Still, he wasn’t going to waste the moment.

“It’s a lot, isn’t it?”

Anna looked at him thoughtfully. “It’s loud, but it’s great, Kristoff.”

He shrugged. “It’s been like this as long I can remember.”

“It must have been wonderful, growing up with so much love.”

“When I came here, absolutely. It took a bit to get used to, but now I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Anna was quiet a moment before she spoke, being careful with her words. “What was it like before they adopted you?”

Kristoff shrugged. He was Arthur’s age when it happened and although he remembered it being excruciating lonely at times, Bulda and Cliff had since healed that. He hardly remembered anything of his life before he felt loved and he told Anna just that.

She nodded thoughtfully at his response but seemed suddenly quiet from having the time of her life talking to his family only a few moments ago.

Kristoff pulled her hands into his. “Please tell me what’s on your mind.”

Anna looked down between them. “I used to be so lonely… and then I met you. And now your family… it’s just… well it’s incredible.”

“How so?” He prodded gently, wanting her to open up to him.

She took a calming breath then looked at him, gripping his hands a little more firmly, “My first Christmas with Arthur was pretty hard. He was only about ten hours old when the date rolled over to the twenty-fifth. I was alone, and I was more scared than I had ever been in my entire life.” She swallowed hard and continued. “When I got home to my shitty little apartment with a day-old infant, I had no idea what to do. My sister was on a plane but she told me she could only stay for a day or two before she had to get back. I was so scared. I had this little human I had to care for and I had no idea what I was doing. I had no one to ask, no mother who could help me, no father to get advice from… no father for my son. Elsa tried her best to help but she was just as, if not more, clueless than I was.”

Anna sighed. “Elsa did try though. She stayed for three days and helped me look up things on the internet, call the nurse link a few times with questions and help me try to get everything in order before she left. I often wondered if it was more for herself than me so she didn’t have to feel guilty for leaving me to do it by myself, but I honestly didn’t care. She helped me with rent for the first few months when I simply could not make the payments and I am indebted to her for eternity to allow be to be with my infant son without worrying about becoming homeless.

“Then I found him a great daycare and I was so excited, until I realized how much I needed to make to afford it. I went job hunting but the market was so poor that gobs and gobs of people applied for every position imaginable. I mean, who the hell would want to hire a twenty-two-year-old with a baby, no degree and very little work experience. I had no choice but to keep him home with me and rely on my tiny maternity leave cheques and my sister helping me out while I tried to live as cheap as possible and go on as many job interviews as I could. Thank god for my elderly neighbour Gerda for looking after Arthur while I job hunted. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”

Anna squeezed his hands and Kristoff came back to reality, realizing that he was about to cry, wishing that somehow, he could have been there for her back then. Still, he did not want her to stop. He needed to hear this. “Then what?” he whispered.

Anna shrugged, looking lovingly into his eyes with apology that he hated to see there but the trust that he needed. “I eventually found a job doing clerical work for a small general contracting company that was just getting started. I answered phones, made appointments, did filing and copying… then as the company grew my responsibilities did with it. I got a raise almost every year and just before Arthur turned five, I was able to afford a duplex. It was pretty beat up and the yard was small as hell, but dammit, it was mine.”

Anna was crying softly now and Kristoff let his own tears escape his eyes.

“I kept it up and I did any small repair that I could, so when the market picked up earlier this year, I sold it. Even though it was a fixer upper and the neighbours were loud, the market was so much stronger than when I bought it and I made enough to get this little house that I have now. It was all I ever dreamed of and the night we moved in I cried myself to sleep because it was worth all the sacrifice. It was worth passing up on all those times my co-workers invited me out, it was worth going hungry so that Arthur could eat, and it was worth every goddamn weekend I had to work and not see my son.” She took a breath and let it out before continuing.

“But the Christmases were always the worst because Arthur only had me to celebrate them and his birthday with. Then his friends would tell him all about their huge Christmas celebrations when they returned to school and he wondered why ours was so different, why his life was so different, why it was just the two of us. That is… well _fuck_ , that’s hard to explain that to a kid.”

Anna let out a sob and Kristoff pulled her into his arms, leaning back on the couch and taking her with him. His heart hurt for her, for her past pain. He vowed to himself that she would never feel so lonely again and instantly knew what he was going to give Arthur for a present on his Birthday. 

That figured out, he still struggled to think of how to respond to such an admission. Instead he held her closer and kissed the top of her head repeatedly, speaking from his heart.

“Anna, I know you don’t need to be taken care of, but I am here. I am always going to be here and I will be with you for everything that life can throw at us and I will help in any way that I can.”

She cried harder in his embrace, holding him as tight as she ever had and Kristoff gripped her back in kind. It was like that for a surprisingly long time. He half expected someone to burst in on them but suspected that Cliff and Bulda were splitting duties to make sure no one dare disturb their moment. His parents had always been extremely preceptive and he was never more thankful for than that then in this moment.

“Arthur is lucky to have such a wonderful mother like you, Anna,” Kristoff whispered as he stroked her hair as held her while she wept. He had stopped crying but he still felt it. The emotion was there, real and raw and weirdly welcome. He was going to make sure Anna had the best Christmas she ever had in her life, then he was going to get a ring and propose to her on New Years. He didn’t care how quick that seemed, because Anna was his soulmate and he loved her and Arthur more than anything.

He waited until she was no longer crying or sniffling. Holding her for a moment, just breathing against each other before he spoke, hoping to lighten her heart.

“I wanted to ask you, Anna. My parents do a huge party on Christmas Eve for the whole family since most of my siblings will be at their in-laws on Christmas day. I was hoping that you and Arthur would come with me. I know it’s Arthur’s birthday, but I have something in mind for him.”

He felt her smile against his shirt. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she sniffed, “And I was actually going to ask you if you would spend Christmas with us. As long as you don’t have anything planned with your family for Christmas Day of course?”

“Nope.” He hugged her tighter. “I would love to spend Christmas with you guys. I love you both, so much.”

Anna pulled in a little breath and Kristoff realized it was the first time he had ever told her that he loved her son. It was the same with Anna this morning when he admitted he loved her; he did not regret it and it was the truth.

She tried to speak but Kristoff could not decipher her words. It was a mess that he could not untangle and he wanted to offer her words of love and comfort, but it was Arthurs voice that broke through to both of them.

“Mom, are you okay?”

Anna pulled back from Kristoff’s chest and slipped her hands up to her face to wipe her tears from her cheeks. Arthur was giving Kristoff a curious and, what looked like, a slightly accusatory look.

Anna looked over at her son. “I’m totally fine, sweetheart. I am just… I am so happy.”

“Yeah?” Arthur asked, face becoming hopeful and relaxed. 

“Yes sweetie. These are happy tears.” Anna slid over to the arm of the couch and patted the cushion between her and Kristoff. Arthur smiled and jumped between them, giving his mother a fierce hug.

“What do you say we spend Christmas Eve here?”

“Are all the other kids going to be here?”

“You bet,” answered Kristoff.

“Sure! That would be totally fun!”

“And Kristoff is going to spend Christmas Day with us.”

“He is?” Arthur looked over to Kristoff. “Awesome!”

Anna looked into Kristoff’s eyes over Arthur’s head and gave him a special smile that nearly killed him. 


	11. Chapter 11

Arthur looked adorable in his vest and bowtie as Anna gelled his unruly hair to the side while he squirmed and complained.

“It’s only for a couple hours.”

“But Mom,”

“Everyone else in your class is going to be dressed up. Remember every other year?”

“I know but I don’t like it.”

“I hear you, little man,” Kristoff chuckled from where he watched, leaning against the jam of the door dressed in his own suit and tie. 

Arthur looked over and grinned at him, clearly loving the fact that his PIC agreed with him.

Kristoff had stopped on his way after work to grab Chinese takeout and they had a great dinner before they all got dressed for Arthur’s Christmas concert. Kristoff had never been to one and he was oddly excited. Probably because Anna was excited, but still.

Kristoff drove them all to the school and the parking lot was nuts. Then they went into the school and the hallway was nuts. Arthur had to go to his class while the parents lined up outside the gym, waiting to go in, and when they all started filing in, finding a seat was nuts. It was busy and chaotic with people asking other people to save spots or if they could move over one and a lot of people stood at the back of the gym until volunteers brought in more chairs so of course it started late. It was something that might have actually bothered Kristoff in the past, but not anymore, because he loved Arthur and he was excited to see him sing on stage with his classmates.

It finally started and it was hilariously disjointed and there were large breaks in between moving different grades on and off the stage, but Anna had her hand in his the entire time and he could not help but smile.

About a quarter of the way in to the concert when they were waiting for the band to set up, Anna leaned over, talking low so that only Kristoff could hear her. 

“By the way, I finally had a talk with Arthur about us this morning.”

“Oh, how did that go?”

“And he didn’t have too many questions,” Anna had to laugh. “I know you told me all about what was said when he approached you to talk, but to hear it from him, he seemed genuinely satisfied that you were telling the truth and it seems like he doesn’t worry at all that things aren’t going to work out between us.”

“Well that’s good.”

Anna nodded. “The only thing he asked was if we were going to get married and when you were going to move in, so I told him it was way too soon for anyone to be thinking about that yet, but that you were probably going to start spending some nights.”

“And?” Kristoff could not hold back his smile.

“He was fine with that. I tried to keep the conversation going to see if he had any reservations about that but he lost interest pretty quick so I just let him go back to his action figures. I am pretty sure it’s not going to bother him at all.”

“That’s great,” Kristoff gave her hand a squeeze and straightened in his chair because the band started to play. 

After the song as another grade was getting on the stage Anna leaned over again. “So, I was wondering, if you wanted to come over this Friday after work and stay the weekend? We could go see Zoo Lights on Saturday and then we can all sleep in on Sunday and just have a relaxing movie and game day. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect, Anna. I can’t wait.”

Anna leaned her head against his shoulder as they next group of kids started singing. Watching this concert was pretty tedious when Arthur wasn’t on stage, but Kristoff realized the significance to this for all the parents and relatives in attendance. This was the thing that had been missing in his life and he was beyond grateful to simply live in the moment and enjoy it.

*****

“Honestly, I would have thought you would be with Anna tonight,” Sven grinned at him.

Kristoff took a sip of his beer. “Well I’ve been blowing you off for Friday beers all month and I’m staying at her place again tomorrow and for the weekend, so I wanted to catch up and shoot the shit.”

“She’s busy, isn’t she?”

Kristoff had to laugh. Nothing got by Sven.

“Yeah she had signed up through work two months ago to help volunteer at a homeless shelter downtown tonight.” 

“And you’re not babysitting?”

“Well I offered, but she had already arranged the sitter a long time ago. Anna’s the one who actually suggested I call and see if you wanted to grab a beer tonight.”

“You meet a woman and just like that I am chopped liver,” Sven muttered, feigning disappointment before taking a big gulp of his beer. “That hurts, man.”

Kristoff elbowed his friend in the ribs. “Like you didn’t do the exact same damn thing when you started dating Nancy. I didn’t see you outside of work for three solid months!”

Sven chuckled. “I’m just giving you a hard time.”

“When aren’t you giving me a hard time?”

Sven rolled his eyes up in thought. “Never. I suppose I could try something new.”

“Such as?”

“Well,” Sven turned his pint glass on the table thoughtfully. “I should probably admit that I am pretty damn happy for you.”

Kristoff wasn’t surprised. Behind the smart ass was a man just as caring as he was. “Thanks buddy.”

“It’s been great seeing you so happy. Sickening almost. But, you sure as shit deserve to be that way.”

Kristoff chuckled, patting his friend on the shoulder. “Thanks.”

Sven was quiet for a moment while they sipped their pints.

“So, you going to ask her to marry you?” he asked.

Kristoff nodded slowly. “I know it seems really fast, but we love each other so much, and every time we talk, we always talk about the future together. I just… well I am pretty sure she wants to marry me as much as I want to marry her.”

“That’s great, Dude. I’ll have you know I will take my best man duties seriously. In fact, I have already planned out your bachelor party.”

“What the hell makes you think you’re the best man?” Kristoff smirked.

Sven gave him a hearty laugh. “We both know I am your only friend.”

Kristoff had to laugh with him. It was true. 

The both paused for a moment to eat a couple more bites of the nacho platter they were splitting when Sven spoke again with a mouth-full.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I have a feeling you have the ring already, don’t you?”

Kristoff shrugged while he took a sip of his beer.

Sven laughed. “I knew it. That was why you wanted to hustle so much on Monday so you could get off early to run that errand you refused to elaborate on.”

Kristof gave his friend another noncommittal shrug and they both burst out laughing because they both knew that he did indeed already have the ring.

*****

When Kristoff told Anna what he had planned for Arthur’s Birthday, she cried. He was glad that Arthur was in bed because Anna had been doing a lot of happy crying lately and he knew it made Arthur a little uneasy. That was why she tried to never get emotional in front of him, but there were times that she admitted - and blamed Kristoff without remorse – that she was caught off guard.

She told him the sudden happy tears were because Kristoff was perfect, but he still brushed her off every time she did. If he had to admit though, he really did like hearing her say that even though he thought she was actually the perfect one. Heaven forbid he should actually tell her that though, she would brush him off too and get defensive about him stealing what she called ‘her thing’.

“I… I can’t believe…” Anna sniffed and wiped the tears from her face. “Wow, Kristoff. That is the most thoughtful thing I have ever heard in my life.”

Kristoff shrugged. “And I found the perfect gift for him! A model Garbage Truck! I’ll get him a model kit too with all the glue and brushes and paints. I used to do them when I was a kid, they are so fun. Ans I thought, well, that I could help him build it if he wanted.”

“Kristoff, he would _adore_ that.”

“Yeah?” He felt that pang in his chest again.

Anna nodded. “I haven’t told you yet because I kind of promised Arthur I wouldn’t say anything, but he really looks up to you.”

“He does?”

“You have no idea. He had a lot of wonderful things to say about you Kristoff, but I’m going to leave it to him if he decides to tell them to you or not.”

“Of course.”

Anna sighed and leaned back against Kristoff’s chest. “I can’t believe its just over a week away.”

“This month has flown by hasn’t it?”

“It has, but it has been the best month of my entire life.”

“Mine too.”


	12. Chapter 12

**_December 24 th _ **

Anna had his hand in a death grip. Kristoff knew she was nervous, hell he was too, but he was also confident this was going to work.

When they got to the front door, he knocked. It was a solid minute before Bulda finally opened it and greeted them.

“Oh, hello Kristoff, Anna, Arthur. Come on in.”

She stepped back and they all filed into the small entrance to a completely dim and quiet house. Kristoff dared steal a look at Arthur and the boy looked confused and sad.

“So sorry, dearies, but with this snow falling, everyone decided to play it safe and stay home,” Bulda explained as she took their coats and hung them in the front closet. “It’ll just be us tonight.”

“Well, that’s okay.” Anna said to Bulda before looking down and smoothing out her son’s hair. “Right sweetie?”

“Sure,” Arthur said, but Kristoff could hear the dejection in his voice.

“Well come on in! You can help us with dinner,” Bulda smiled and hustled into the dark living room.

“Go on sweetheart,” Anna told Arthur as she gently placed a palm between his shoulders to usher him forward. Arthur did as he was told with his head hanging slightly lower.

Anna looked over at Kristoff and gave him a reassuring look even though his heart was beating a mile a minute in his chest. He hated to see Arthur that way, but he knew it was all going to pay off in a moment.

There were no lights on in the living room, only a faint glow coming from the kitchen beyond, but when Arthur was half way there, the room exploded. The space suddenly filled with bright light and color and all twelve of Kristoff’s nieces and nephews shouted “Surprise! Happy Birthday Arthur!”

Arthur leapt out of his skin and screamed, burying himself as far as he could against Anna’s side. Much to Kristoff’s surprise, he recovered from his shock and realized what was happening amazingly fast.

“A surprise party?!” he screamed then turned to his mom. “A surprise birthday party for me?!”

“This was all Kristoff’s idea,” she told him with an emotional voice.

Arthur looked over at Kristoff with an incredulous expression before he ran to him. Kristoff wasn’t expecting it but he reacted with instinct, bending over to grab the kid as he leapt at him and pulled him into a hug.

“Thank you, Kristoff! Thank you! This is the best Birthday ever!”

Arthur was screaming in his ear and hugging him so tight around the neck that it actually hurt a little, but Kristoff’s heart exploded and tears immediately formed in his eyes. Arthur didn’t notice. He squirmed out of the hug and ran over to his new friends – family, really – and the living room become the kid party zone in the blink of an eye.

Weeping, Anna wrapped herself around Kristoff’s waist and hugged him just as tight as her son. He cried with her, hugging her close and resting his cheek on the top of her head. They were given practically no time before Kristoff felt pats on his back and his siblings talking all around him.

The adults all greeted each other with warm hugs before convening in the kitchen and letting the kids have the run of the rest of the house. They all started talking, filling each other in on the week’s events but Anna was oddly quiet, looking around the kitchen where there were pizza boxes stacked high, a veggie platter, at least six different kinds of pop and juice, and a tower of cupcakes decorated with sugar icons of Marvel action figures.

Kristoff had an idea what was running through her head but he did not want to assume. “Anna? Everything okay?”

He spoke it quietly but everyone in the kitchen seemed to hear and stopped talking to look towards Anna so see if she was indeed okay.

“I… I can’t thank you all enough, for doing this and…” Anna got teary eyed again.

“Oh, dearie,” Bulda rushed over and pulled her into a hug. “It’s nothing. This is what we do for family.”

“But your holiday dinner…”

“Hush,” Bulda scolded. “The best traditions are the newest ones. What’s more fun than celebrating a birthday and Christmas? I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all sometimes get sick of big holiday meals and sometimes we just want a slice or two of pizza and a cupcake.”

Everyone in the kitchen gave their cheers of agreement and Anna thanked them again profusely before melting into Kristoff’s side and hugging him.

She was on him like glue the whole evening and Kristoff would not have wanted it any other way. When it was time for presents, Arthur got to sit in Cliff’s Lazy-Boy recliner and open them while Kristoff and Anna watched from the doorway to the dining room, smiling from ear to ear.

Arthur was extremely gracious with all his gifts. He did not give one more attention than any other even though it was probably clear to everyone that he was more excited about the stack of comic books and toys than the winter coat and boots. Every gift was appreciated and every gift giver was given a hug and a repeated ‘thank you very much’.

It did tickle Kristoff however that when Arthur thanked him with a hug for the model set with the garbage truck, that he whispered it was his favourite in Kristoff’s ear. It made him all the more excited to see Arthur open his gift tomorrow on Christmas because it was something that Kristoff was passionate about and something that he desperately wanted to share with the boy who he was thinking of more and more as a son.

That was why three days earlier when Anna was upstairs in the shower, Kristoff had shown Arthur the ring he bought for Anna.

_“You’re going to ask my Mom to marry you?” He had asked, eyes still on the ring in the box._

_“I am. What do you think?”_

_Arthur finally looked up at him. “I think that will make her really happy.”_

_“Awesome,” Kristoff smiled, even though the boy wasn’t. “I was going to ask on New Years, but now I kind of want to do it on Christmas because I think it would mean a lot to her. Is that okay?”_

_Arthur blinked at him. “Why are you asking me?”_

_“Because I care about you, Arthur. I care about your feelings. I want to make sure that it’s not a shock or a surprise for you. Plus, if you wanted me to wait until after Christmas, I would.”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“Just say the word, and I’ll save it for New Years.”_

_Arthur finally smiled. “Man to man?”_

_Kristoff nodded, heart soaring._

_“I think you should ask her on Christmas. She would totally love that.”_

_“Thanks, little buddy,” Kristoff offered his palm while he slipped the ring box back in his pocket with his other hand and Arthur gave it a hard slap._

“What’s on your mind that has you smiling so much?” Anna asked, bringing him back to the here and now.

“You.”

“Oh really? What about me?”

“Can’t say,” Kristoff smiled, looking down into her eyes. The adults were in the kitchen and the kids had all gone upstairs to the play room. For the moment they were left alone in the entrance to the dining room and Kristoff was not about to waste it.

“Are you looking as forward to tomorrow as I am?”

“Absolutely.” He was powerless to look away from her sultry eyes.

“And you’re excited to snuggle with me in bed tonight.”

“Baby, I can’t wait,” he muttered in a low voice.

Anna’s eyes looked up then back into his with passionate intensity. “I do believe we are standing under mistletoe.”

“You’re damn right we are,” Kristoff breathed before he kissed her.

*****

It was almost midnight when they got home. Arthur had fallen asleep on the drive and Kristoff gently pulled him from his truck and carried him upstairs to his bed with Anna close behind. Still in his clothes they tucked him in and both placed a soft kiss on his forehead before going back downstairs and outside to Kristoff’s truck to gather all the presents he received for his birthday.

With that done, Kristoff followed Anna up to her bedroom and helped get all the presents from Santa to take downstairs. Most were for Arthur but he did notice that there was one with his name on it. That was fine because Kristoff had some presents to get from his truck and one of them had Anna’s name on it from none other than the big guy in red. He just hoped he would have an opportunity to place it under the tree without her noticing. 

After placing all the gifts under the tree, Kristoff helped Anna stuff the stockings. She had gotten one special for him, just like hers only green with the white fuzzy hem on top. Anna told him that Arthur had actually chosen it because it looked like hers but it was green like the garbage truck and that completely melted Kristoff’s heart. 

She excused herself upstairs when that was accomplished to slip into something more comfortable and Kristoff told her he would be up in a minute to do the same. As soon as she disappeared up the stairs he slipped on his boots and opened the door as silently as he could, sprinting to his truck and grabbing the two little gifts from his glove compartment. He had no sooner locked the door, rushed over to the tree and buried one of them among the larger gifts and pocketed the other when Anna was at the railing, asking him what was taking him so long.

Kristoff dashed up the stairs and said he was grabbing some tape to reattach a bow that he had noticed had fallen off a present. Anna shrugged it off and kissed him, not letting giving him any time to change into some sweat pants. Before he knew what was happening, they were tangled in the sheets.

They had planned to have a nightcap then go to bed but this was a much better way to end the evening in Kristoff’s opinion. 

Anna grumbled that she still had to make coffee but Kristoff knew she was tired so he kissed her on the cheek and told her he had it all handled and to go to sleep. He slipped gently from the bed and pulled on some sweats before he went downstairs, being as quiet as possible with having to pass Arthur’s door in the hallway.

Kristoff prepped the coffee for the morning then he went into the living room and ate the cookies on the plate, careful to leave some big crumbs as evidence. After he drank the milk even though he really didn’t care for milk all that much and it was warm. He set the glass down by the empty plate and looked at the living room one more time. The only light was coming from the tree and it made everything appear as magical as it was supposed to be.

 _Home,_ he smiled, then crept upstairs to crawl back in bed beside Anna.


	13. Chapter 13

**_December 25 th_ **

“How long do you think we are going to get to sleep in?”

Anna sighed, snuggling herself closer against Kristoff’s side. “Who knows. I have a feeling he’s already awake, has already crept downstairs and is now sitting in his room contemplating how long before he can knock on the door and wake us up.”

“Huh. I better put on some pants then.”

Anna giggled. “Yeah, let’s get ready and see what’s what.”

Kristoff pulled on pajama pants and slipped a white t-shirt over his head, watching intently as Anna slipped into her own matching set. That was, of course, her idea. She found the Christmas reindeer print pajama pants in men’s and women’s sizes and told Kristoff that he was wearing them. He did so without complaint.

They took turns brushing their teeth and a moment to wish each other a Merry Christmas with tender kisses before they were ready.

As soon as Anna opened her bedroom door, Arthur’s flew open. 

“Merry Christmas, Mom! Merry Christmas, Kristoff!” the boy shouted as he bounced down the hall and threw himself at them for hugs.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” Anna cooed.

“Merry Christmas, little dude,” Kristoff grinned.

Arthur tore off down the stairs leaving Kristoff and Anna a small moment to steal a few more kisses before Arthur was shouting excitedly that Santa had come and they better get downstairs.

It was very typical for Kristoff growing up with young children around him all the time. Arthur tore into his stocking while Anna slid a breakfast casserole in the oven and Kristoff poured them each a coffee. They were being too slow apparently because Arthur was constantly checking on their progress with impatience, knowing that he had to wait until they were in the living room to start opening presents. 

Finally seated on the couch with a steaming cup of coffee and Anna snuggled against him, Arthur attacked the gifts under the tree. Any that weren’t his were delivered in a sprint to his Mom or Kristoff while they slowly took a look at what Santa had left in their stockings. It was socks and little packages of gourmet coffee and hot chocolate, and of course, some candy. No where near the haul Arthur had in his but he was a kid and Santa loves spoiling kids. That was what Anna told him with a wink as they stuffed them.

While Arthur was preoccupied, they both opened their gifts from ‘Santa’. Kristoff’s was a book about fly fishing and Anna’s was box of very fine chocolates. They both fawned how amazing it was that Santa knew what they loved while they gave each other a silent ‘thank you’ with their eyes. They had agreed that they would only get each other one gift as Christmas presents were more for children than adults, but Anna, just as Kristoff had, figured Santa would not forget to give them at least one present to open.

Arthur got through all the presents from Santa in what seemed like a record time before he opened the ones from his Mother which were some practical clothes, a new pair of shoes for school, and the one that made him shout with excitement; a little parlour guitar he could learn on. 

Arthur opened one of the one’s from Kristoff next, the little gift bag that Anna told him went with the guitar.

“Song books! Awesome! Thank you, Kristoff!”

“Did you know that Kristoff plays the guitar?” Anna asked him.

The boy’s eyes shot up into his. “You do?”

Kristoff nodded. “I can teach you, if you like?”

“For sure! That’s awesome, Kristoff!”

Anna reached over and gave his thigh a squeeze as Arthur grabbed the other gift from Kristoff, the one that meant something close to his heart. He watched with nervous anticipation as the boy tore at the paper to reveal what was inside.

“A fishing rod!? Awesome!” Arthur shouted, looking up at Kristoff. “Are you going to teach me how to fish too?”

Kristoff nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

The boy sprang to his feet and ran to him. He barely set his hot coffee down before the kid had him around the neck. “I can’t wait to go fishing with you! I am so excited! Thank you, Kristoff!”

“I’m excited too,” Kristoff admitted, voice not loud as he would have liked to make it as his eyes burned with emotion.

Arthur gave his Mom a hug next. “This has been the best Christmas _ever_! Thanks Mom!”

It was no surprise that when Arthur ran to play with his toys there were tears in Anna’s eyes. Kristoff was all too aware of what this meant to Anna. Hell, it meant a lot to him too. Feeling the moment might be the right one, he was just about to pull his gift to her from the pocket of his pajama pants when she leaned over and slid a gift that had been under the tree across the coffee table to him. 

“This is from me,” she said quietly, clearly still emotional.

Kristoff picked up the paperback-sized box, thinking it was just that, a book. He was surprised to find it very light. 

He unwrapped it carefully and opened the little box that had once held assorted chocolates. Inside was folded paper. Suddenly anxious, he unfolded the three sheets and realized immediately that he was looking over a travel itinerary. His mouth fell open in shock.

“I told Arthur I was going to take him to the Island this year and I hope it’s okay that I am combining that with your gift?”

 _“Okay?”_ he was in awe, still reading over the date of the flights and the accommodations, too overwhelmed to look her in the eyes. “Of course it’s okay, Anna. Why would it not-”

“Look at the last page,” she prompted softly.

He flipped the first two pages to the last and read what was printed there. It was a booked Salmon and Halibut fishing excursion through the Gulf Islands. Something he had always dreamed of doing one day. Something he told Anna about on their first date and not again since. Something that he didn’t think he would be able to afford for a very long time after purchasing Anna’s ring.

This gift… it struck him straight in the heart at the magnitude and thoughtfulness. He immediately had tears falling from his eyes and it took him a solid minute to realize that Anna was babbling.

“… hoping that it would be okay if we all went. Like I said I told Arthur I would take him this year and I already had the money saved, so I talked to Sven and he booked the time off work for you in the spring, then I got the flights and the hotel and then I talked to the place that charters the fishing experience and I know Arthur and I don’t know anything about fishing yet, but I thought it would be fun to do it with you and-”

Kristoff tossed the box and the paper on the coffee table and grabbed her face gently, pulling her in for a kiss. Anna sighed happily, kissing him back with soft passion for a moment before she pulled away and looked him in the eyes.

“I take it that means you like it?” she smiled at him. 

Kristoff shook his head slowly. “I love it, Anna. I… I have always wanted to do that… I can’t believe… _wow.”_

“And you really are okay if we tag along? I can rearrange things if you want to plan it as a guy trip or something instead.”

He shook his head quickly. “I would adore experiencing this with you and Arthur. It… Anna, this is a dream come true for me. I… I’ve always wanted to share something like this with my family.”

Anna gave him that special smile and he suddenly felt the weight of the box in his pocket. It was his turn to give Anna the gift he had gotten for her. Suddenly nervous, he didn’t know how to proceed, but he figured that getting on one knee would be the best way to start.

As he slid off the couch, he pulled the little box from his pocket and opened it to show her what was inside. Anna’s jaw fell open while her eyes went wide, instantly filling with more tears as her hands flew to her mouth.

“I was going to do this on New Years, but I just couldn’t wait.” He looked over at Arthur who was now grinning at him and gave him a thumbs up.

Anna kept staring at the ring for a moment, visibly shaking, before she finally lifted her eyes from the box to him.

“Every day since I met you has been the best days of my life. You are the most amazing person I have ever met, Anna. I love you with all that I am. Will you marry me?”

Her face scrunched up and she squeaked ‘yes’ before throwing herself into his arms. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard Arthur laughing and cheering while Kristoff’s spirits soared and his heart ached with so much love, he thought it might just burst.

*****

The rest of their Christmas Day was surreal for all of them. After breakfast, Kristoff helped Anna prep the small turkey for their Christmas dinner and put it in the oven. While it cooked, they relaxed in the living room, switching between taking turns at one of Arthur’s new Nintendo games and watching Christmas movies. 

They cleaned up all the spent wrapping paper but left everything else strewn about the living room floor. They had no company to impress and it didn’t bother either of them one bit that they had to step around Arthur’s new things any time they went in and out of the room. 

Anna was unable to stop staring at the diamond ring on her finger and Kristoff had not stopped day dreaming about fishing with his little family. In the afternoon they facetimed Elsa and then Cliff and Bulda to tell them the news. Kristoff warned Anna that his Ma was going to cry and he was not wrong. Bulda was beside herself and Cliff beamed with pride. Both his parents had told him how much they loved Anna and Arthur after meeting them for the first time.

By the time dinner was on the table, the low clouds hanging overhead all day finally produced the snow the weather forecast was calling for. It made sitting around the dinner table starting out the window at the falling snow more special… something more comforting by the fact that they were warm and cozy inside as the last light of the short day would soon be leaving the sky.

That night Anna and Kristoff made passionate love and wept quietly together afterwards. It had started with Anna and he was helpless to cry with her because he knew exactly what she was feeling. While neither of their lives had been particularly hard considering, they had both been very lonely. Now that they had each other, it was like what Anna had expressed which seemed like so long ago; It was like it wasn’t real. It was like a dream that was too good to be true.

Only it was real. It was real and beautiful and they both deserved the happiness they gave each other. Two lonely souls, united at long last, ready and eager for a new and bright future together with their son.


	14. Epilogue

**_January 1 st_ **

Kristoff sat beside Anna at the dinner table marvelling at all the wonderful changes in his life the past five years. Every day was a gift and he was the happiest he had ever been. Even when things were hard, having his loving family and his amazing friends around him, helped more than he could actually express in mere words. It was everything.

Sven and Nancy sat opposite Kristoff and Anna at one end of the table. On the other was Arthur, sandwiched between the two three-and-a-half-year-old’s; his sister Sadie and Sven and Nancy’s son Tyler, who was only two and a half months older than their daughter.

It was his second Christmas with Anna – their first as husband and wife – when she gave him the greatest present of all; a picture of an ultrasound of her and Kristoff’s baby. He was not ashamed to admit that he bawled his eyes out. Even Arthur became somewhat emotional, ecstatic that he was going to be an older brother, yet perhaps it was more simply because his parents were crying some of the happiest tears of their entire lives.

They had talked about it after their family fishing trip that spring… After that first Christmas, after Kristoff moved in with them in January, after that incredible vacation that Kristoff would remember for the rest of his life… with how happy everything had been Anna asked Kristoff one night when Arthur has tucked in bed.

_“Can I ask you something, Kristoff? Something kind of heavy?” she said slowly as she stared at the ring on her finger._

_“Of course,” he said, turning on the couch and giving her his full attention. He knew it wasn’t going to be anything he couldn’t handle. There was nothing that he could not face head on with Anna by his side._

_“Do you think… um, I mean, how would you feel about…” she shook her head._

_Kristoff hated to see her not be able to speak frankly. “Anna, you can talk to be about anything. Anything.”_

_She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then looked up into his eyes with purpose. “Would you want to have a baby? With me?”_

_Kristoff had to smile. The fact that she had clarified it would be with her was incredibly adorable. It was actually something that he had already thought about, although he didn’t know if he would ever bring it up because it was a lot to ask. He hadn’t wanted her to feel like she was being pressured if he made a point to talk about it. He was going to wait and see since Sven had just confided in Kristoff that him and Nancy, despite her penchant for double dates, had decided to try for a baby. Kristoff wondered what Anna’s reaction might be upon finding out when and if she got pregnant. Anna was only a year older than Nancy so he was curious._

_But apparently, she needed no such prompting. Kristoff had to wonder how long she had the thought of a baby in her mind. Was it after the engagement, or before? Not that it mattered, he supposed._

_“Anna, I would love nothing more than having a baby with you, but it is your body. I hope you’re not feeling like… you know like this is something that you…”_

_Now it was his turn not to be able to speak frankly. He did not want Anna to offer this thinking it was what he wanted. It was, to be sure, but his family would be just as complete if they didn’t have a baby. But how did a person explain such a thing in words that could not be misconstrued. Especially him. He was often unable to get what he meant out the right way._

_“I do, Kristoff,” Anna said, searching his eyes. She smiled slowly, perhaps seeing the truth there. “I do. I want to have a baby with you.”_

_Kristoff nodded. Emotion swelling. “I want to have a baby with you, too.”_

They decided to wait until after their summer wedding to try. It was just a small affair in a community centre near Cliff and Bulda’s house, but it was an incredible day. Anna told him she didn’t want anything fancy and while Kristoff would have loved to give that to her anyway, they were a little too short on money to do much else. Not that it was any less special. It was perhaps even more special, because all of their family and all of their friends were invited with all the money they were saving by keeping it on the cheap side. Not to mention they did not need anything lavish to celebrate their love. Something so pure does not need to be polished.

It was the one of the happiest days of Kristoff’s entire life. His beautiful bride, standing before him. Their son, the ringbearer, walking up the aisle to deliver the gold bands with a wide smile on his face. Kristoff could not have dreamed to have such a wonderful and perfect day.

In the months following their union, Kristoff and Anna had a lot of fun trying to conceive. It didn’t happen immediately as often these things don’t, and when Anna complained about feeling unwell at the beginning of December, she passed it off as period pains.

He had no idea how she was able to keep her morning sickness and her general unease a secret from him for nearly three weeks before Christmas, but she did just that. 

The kid side of the table erupted in laughter and the adults looked over to see Arthur entertaining the younger ones by making silly faces. Tyler had taken a special connection to Arthur and looked up to him whenever they were together, copying almost everything the older boy did.

Kristoff remembered fondly the day that Sven had told him the news. 

_“Dude, I did it.”_

_“Did what?” Kristoff asked, setting down his pint of draught._

_“I’m gonna be a Dad.”_

_Kristoff had wondered why their Friday beers had seemed to quiet. Now he knew. He could imagine Sven had a lot on his mind._

_“Man, that’s awesome,” Kristoff said, turning in the stool to hug his friend._

_Sven hugged him back with ferocity, and although he would never admit it, the gleam of tears in his eyes._

_After the hug Sven started into his beer, clearing his throat._

_“Yup, I couldn’t believe it when Nancy showed me the positive test. I honestly didn’t know how I would feel until that moment but it was…” he shook his head slowly, “it was incredible.”_

_“I’ll bet,” Kristoff said softly. “How far along?”_

_“She is almost at the third trimester. We wanted to wait before we told anyone… you know.”_

_“Definitely.” But Kristoff had to laugh. “I’m surprised you were able to keep that from me for so long.”_

_“Honestly Man, me too. I thought I would blab the first second I saw you. Actually, pretty proud of myself that I was able to keep a secret.”_

_“For once,” Kristoff chuckled._

_Sven chuckled back, then became quiet, seeming to reflect for a moment._

_“So, are you and Anna still trying?”_

_He nodded. “She had period pains this morning unfortunately, but we are definitely going to keep trying.”_

_“That’s great,” Sven clapped his palm on Kristoff’s shoulder. “I hope it happens for you soon, bro.”_

Back then Kristoff had no idea that it already _had_ happened for him. It would be another two weeks before Anna gave him his present.

Tyler was born in June and Sadie followed two and a half months later in at the end of August. They were both amazing kids and Kristoff was sure it had a lot to do with Arthur. They both looked up to him like an older brother. 

Sven and Nancy were having trouble conceiving their second child so they did things together with Kristoff and Anna often, loving the fact that the three kids got along so well. It made double dating more fun in Kristoff’s opinion. He would take park dates with picnics and tossing the ball around over fancy dinner and drinks any day of the week.

Not that he didn’t enjoy his date nights with Anna. Those he very much enjoyed although they did not do them nearly as often. Staring at her bedroom eyes over candlelight, hardly able to enjoy his meal for how beautiful she was, was one of the greatest feelings in his world aside from spending time with his entire family.

*****

After dinner, Kristoff and Sven took over the kitchen as they always did when they got together for meals. They cleared the table, loaded the dishwasher and did the remaining dishes by hand while they chatted about this and that.

They were almost done, Kristoff elbow deep in dishwater and Sven standing beside him with a tea towel when he leaned over and whispered into Kristoff’s ear.

“Nancy’s pregnant.”

Kristoff looked wide eyed at his friend and his shit-eating grin.

“But don’t say anything yet,” he hissed as he straightened. “She just told me on Christmas.”

Kristoff could not help but grin back at his friend. He remembered very fondly how amazing it was to be told you were going to be a father on Christmas Day. “That’s great news, Bud,” he whispered. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Not even Anna,” Sven warned.

“Not even Anna,” Kristoff agreed.

Then they both burst out in to laugher, knowing that Anna would know before the night was done.

*****

“What a great New Years Day,” Anna sighed against his side, bathing in the afterglow of their lovemaking. “And I am so excited Nancy finally got pregnant! It’s going to be so hard not to spill the beans that I know.”

“I am sure it’ll be an unspoken thing that all four of us adults know, but please to try not to spill the beans until Nancy actually tells you.”

“I won’t,” Anna chuckled. 

They fell into silence, each with their own thoughts while they snuggled each other. Kristoff wasn’t thinking about much except for his excitement for the year to come; all the fishing him and Arthur were going to do, the little daddy-daughter dates he was going to take Sadie on, the very real and romantic dates he wanted to take Anna on too.

While they still had to narrow it down between Disneyland and Disney World, they were taking their kids on vacation this year as well, and Kristoff knew it was going to be one of the best trips of his life. Deep sea fishing was incredible, but seeing his kids happy and enchanted with the magic of Disney, was even better.

Anna was still pregnant with Sadie when they went the first time. That was Kristoff’s gift to Anna and Arthur the year that Anna told him she was pregnant. Since he was splitting Anna’s mortgage, he saved enough to fly them all down to Disneyland for four days the following Spring and they had the time of their lives. That was why the were having trouble deciding between the two places for this next trip. Either go back to the OG like they had when they first took Arthur, or go to the one he hadn’t seen yet. 

“I think we should go back to Disneyland,” Anna murmured against Kristoff’s side. It surprised him a little, thinking that she had already fallen asleep, and that oddly enough she was thinking the same things he was apparently.

“Yeah? Save Disney World for another time?”

Anna nodded against him. “I always thought it would be fun to plan a road trip all the way down there. Take a month off work… maybe rent a motorhome. That would be fun, right?” She finished with a yawn.

“So fun.”

“Disneyland then this year. Sounds good?”

“Sounds perfect, Anna.”

“Hmmmm,” she hummed her agreement and soon fell into deep sleeping breaths. 

Kristoff sighed, still in awe of the contentment he had found. Even after five years, every single day was a gift, and every single day he got to fall asleep with Anna at his side and his kids tucked safely into their beds, was a little slice of Heaven on Earth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who made such lovely comments on this fic! And to everyone who left Kudos. I appreciate it so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you! <3 <3 <3


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